Wish You Were Here
by October Sky
Summary: The survivors work together to try to learn more about the mysterious new castaway, who has a few secrets of her own, while Boone searches the new crash site, which welcomes another new survivor. Alex-centric.
1. Default Chapter

Wish You Were Here

Chapter One

Author's Note: Welcome to my eighth, that's right, eighth story in my series! And this one's about the new girl- Alex, and let me tel you, she's not as good as she'll make you think she is. Let's just say she did something really bad right before she got on the island- but it wasn't all her fault. Not really. I really like what I did with her flashback, and I've had it prepared for months. I was originally going to make alex another character in a story, but back then I didn't know all of the character's names! Anyway, I hope you all came back! Enjoy!

Note: The first Alex flashback is really one of the last

Disclaimer: Lost is owned by J.J. Abrams and his crew at ABC. The part with the plane comes directly from the previews for "Deus Ex Machina". I just own my crazy little mind, lol. "Wish You Were Here" was written by Roger Waters(?) of Pink Floyd.

Series note: This story is part eight of a series. The rest can be found in my bio. The series is called 'Fated' and begins with "Whatever the Case May Be". You may be confused at some points if you haven't read the entire thing. Actually, you'll find yourself confused a lot.

Spoiler Alert: This series is based on spoilers, pictures, and theories. You have been forewarned.

Flashback note: Flashbacks are in italics. Don't get them confused with the occasional italicized thought.

Summary: Wish You Were Here: The survivors work together to try to learn more about the mysterious new castaway, who has a few secrets of her own, while Boone searches the new crash site, which welcomes another new survivor. Alex-centric.

_Alex's eye snapped open to darkness. Groaning, she rolled over, and immediately knew that something was wrong. Her head felt heavy and she was sure she was going to be sick, and she was- moving? That couldn't be right. But she had no time to ponder that, because screams suddenly filled the night air. Rolling over and propping herself up with her elbow, Alex ran her hand through her hair, and took in her surroundings. She was in a dark room, laying on the bed, where someone had managed to cover her with the sheets. And the room was moving. _

_That's what bothered her the most, even more than the screams for help she was hearing from behind the door on the far side of the room, and the feet she saw skimper across the floorboards through the light that shined underneath, giving her enough light to notice that a phone lay on the night stand beside her, hotel room style. Panicked, she glanced from the phone to the door, phone to the door, contemplating on what to do._

Sitting at her usual spot on the beach, Alex stared out into the ocean, trying to draw a ship with her mind, trying to remember.. No one had hardly talked to her since she was found. No one had asked if she was okay, asked if she needed anything, asked if she wanted to help out.

She tried to tell herself that she didn't care, and tried to not let it get into her whenever she heard the conversations of two people who were perfect strangers, walking happily behind her as she sat, day after day, moving only to retrieve water from the caves(she refused whenever she was every now and the offered. She figured if Jack hadn't of been planning secret conversations with Kate, or getting himself beaten to a pulp, he would've, but she wasn't about to push talk even if he was the only person who had bothered to talk to her since the very first day, when she told them that she had never been on a plane in her life. She knew what was going on though, it didn't take a genius, and really, she didn't blame them a bit: they were afraid of her.

Just then a mixture a voice caught Alex's attention, coming from behind, where she knew just up the slope, a group of castaways had gathered, and were talking about her, discussing her, like she was some debate topic, but she couldn't make out exactly what they were saying.

However, up under the tent that a half a dozen castaways were crowded over, Kate was hearing every word, and didn't like a bit of it. Rumors abound suggesting that maybe she was one of Ethan's group, or Danielle's escaped kid who knew secrets about the island that they couldn't even begin to guess. But Kate never heard any of the suggested issues. She was too worried about Jack. Memories of the kiss trailed back to Kate in tents of black and blue, since that was the most of Jack she saw that night. Afterwards as she sat next to Jack, who had finally fallen asleep nearly an hour and a half later(Jack seemed to be paranoid that the sun was raising too soon) and the guilt finally overcame her, and she stood up, putting the fire out and throwing a shirt over Jack as she ran out of the area, escaping into the jungle.

"Kate?" A voice said into her ear. "Kate? You there?"

"Huh?"

She shook herself out of her thoughts to find Charlie trying to get her attention.

"We were wondering what you thought of Hurley's theory," Charlie said, and as she did she noticed that the others had been staring at her.

_Great,_ she thought,_ the last thing I need is for even more suspicion to arise around me._

Stalling as much time, Kate glanced over to the jungle entrance, trying to act like she was thinking, but instead, really saw something: Locke, coming out of the jungle, exhausted and alone. This immediately alerted Shannon.

"Where's Boone?" Shannon said to herself where she stood, worried, beside Sayid.

She tried to run forward to bombard Locke with a million questions, but was stopped by Sayid, who's rather not have to deal with another murder. Instead, Shannon stayed put, watching, helpless, as Kate ran to Locke.

"Where's Boone?" She asked as she approached him.

Closer to him, Kate noticed that Locke was walking with a slight limp in the left leg, and looked to be in real pain.

"What's wrong?" She asked him, suddenly nervous for an answer.

"You didn't hear it?" Locke asked her, trying to catch his breath as Kate noticed his face going white and sweating.

"Hear what?" Kate asked, concerned and worried.

"Something happened," was all Locke said, noting wanting to start an uproar as he saw other survivors, "I need to talk to Jack."

Kate bit her lip at the sound of Jack's name, and Locke noticed her reluctancy to answer.

"What is it?" Locke asked, now as equally worried as she was about him.

"Um.." Kate began, looking down and then looking back up at him as she continued, "something happened to Jack last night."

Locke only looked at her, cueing for her to go on.

"He was attacked," Kate said as best she could, fearing that her voice was breaking.

"Attacked?" Locke repeated, unable to believe it. "By who?"

Kate's eyes trailed over to Sawyer's new home, only a short distance from where they were standing. Sawyer was now laying back in against some wreckage he had stood up, and looked in pain as he tried to concentrate on whatever book it was he was reading. She had completely forgotten his return, which had not gone unnoticed by the other survivors, who had whispered and sent rumors flying about the mysterious attack on Jack more than Alex. There was even one outrageous story being told on the beach about Jack being attacked by a polar bear on the way back from wherever it was he went at night, and saved by a mysterious flying boar the storyteller swore up and down he saw later on that night.

Sawyer had returned sometime around eight, eight-thirty that morning, drowned out and walking heavily. Though there was clearly something wrong with him(Sayid never told her exactly what he did to him) Sawyer didn't say a word as he passed through the beach, and passed out just as he reached his camp, where he had slept for at least the next five hours.

"Sawyer?" Locke said in pure surprise.

Kate nodded as she turned away as Sawyer flipped to the next page of his book, and she tried to tell herself that she didn't see the fading red rings around his wrist.

"Well where's Jack now?"

(Space)

The plane had crashed nearly five miles away from where Locke had fallen near the hatch, and had taken Boone at least two hours to find, and when he did, he felt ready to ask God now what he had against him when he saw the planes condition: stuck in a large, overgrown tree that looked impossible to climb. The worst part was, the weight of Boone's backpack would make it even more difficult, but he couldn't leave it, in the case of survivors where he may of needed the water in it. Sighing, Boone climbed onto the first branch, and fifteen minutes later, found himself seated in the middle section of the plane. Or what he thought was a middle section.

Two seats sat behind a locked door that clearly led to a cockpit. The plane seemed empty, except for a suitcase that lay in a single seat. Curious, Boone fumbled with the latches, and through it open to find- drugs. And not medical drugs, either. Drugs that one would smuggle out of a country. Drugs that would do no good for him, or anyone else on the island for that matter.

"Who's there?"

Boone spun around after almost having a heart attack to see a man's hand that had opened the cockpit door, and was dangling in the air. Cautiously, Boone stepped forward, having to sidestep broken glass and duck under branches that had broken through the window, and entered the cockpit.

Having never been in the front of a plane before, Boone found that if he were to stay in here any longer, he would get a headache from the massive amounts of buttons and levers. A hoarse cough took his mind off the complicated system, and Boone turned his attention back to the injured survivor. Correct that- very injured. The man seated in front of him was at least in his early forties, with brown, graying, hair. He supported a ripped up shirt sleeve, his arm bleeding underneath, and a long cut sprouting from his forehead. That was bleeding.

"Oh God," Boone muttered as the horror of responsibility struck him.

He was alone. It was all him. No Locke or Jack to cover up his mistakes, and he knew that if he didn't help him, the man could die. Taking in a deep breath, Boone prepared himself for the task. The first thing he did next was remove the man's seat belt, as the man began his own task of giving Boone the third degree.

"Who are you?" The man began.

Boone found no reason to lie to him. If all went well, he'd most likely become just another castaway. That was when Boone saw the transceiver. Letting the seat belt slap against the seat, Boone grabbed for it.

"What're you doing?" The man asked in a panic.

Turning the transceiver on, Boone waited for a signal, and could've shouted in glee when he heard one.

"Thank God," he muttered, feeling the most relieved he had ever been before, "oh thank you God!"

And he got right to work.

"May day! May day!" He said into the transceiver, impersonating Sayid's actions when they had received a signal before.

There was static, and for a moment, Boone was sure that all hope was lost, and that he had just somehow ruined a chance of survival for everyone. He could've killed himself. And then-

"Hello?" A woman's tired voice came from the speakers.

"Oh thank you!" Boone said, tilting his head back as he laughed a little.

"Can I help you?" Said the woman's impatient voice.

She obviously had had a rough day.

"Yes, I need immediate help," Boone shook his head, realizing how stupid that sounded.

"Where are you?" The woman asked.

"I don't know," Boone said, as it hit him for the first time, "we're the survivors of the Oceanic Flight 815."

"There were survivors?" The woman said, mind wondering away in amazement.

"Yes!" Boone said into the transceiver, now just as impatient as she was before. "We're somewhere in the South Pacific, I think."

There was a pause, which worried Boone, then-

"How many were there?"

Boone quickly calculated in his head, first instinct going survivor by survivor. There was Shannon, himself, Jack, Kate- then he wondered if he should be including Ethan and Danielle.

"Um..forty something," Boone said at last, "another plane just crashed here."

"Flight number-"

Boone looked back to the survivor of the crash, and found him- to Boone's greatest fear- passed out.

"I'm not sure," Boone said, "he just passed out."

"Try and get him to wake back up," the woman instructed.

It sounded as though there was a lot of commotion behind her, and a million odd thoughts ran through his head unexpectedly. _Tell my mom I'm okay- Shannon's fine. Let Jack's mom know her only son's okay, but her husbands dead- tell Charlie's brother that he's fine- tell Claire's mom the baby is about to be born, and is so far healthy- _

"Excuse me, Sir?" The woman asked, sounding worried. "Sir, are you all right?"

"Yeah," Boone said, nodding though he knew she couldn't see it, "yeah, I'm fine, but we got a pregnant woman here, nine months. And some French scientist who's been here for sixteen years, and then we found this-"

Suddenly the line went static.

"Hello?" The woman's voice said eerily over the static. "Sir, are you there?"

"I'm here!" Boone tried yelling into the transceiver. "I'm here, I'm-"

But the line went dead. Completely dead.

"Oh damn," Boone muttered, "oh damn, oh damn, oh damn.."

Boone tried hitting the side of it, but it was no use. Turning the transceiver over, Boone fumbled with the battery cover before taring it open, only to have it start smoking in his hand.

"Dammit!" Boone yelled as he dropped the transceiver in shock.

He then realized what a stupid idea that was, the plane could catch on fire, the transceiver could be destroyed. No more chance of rescue. As though it could read Boone's mind, the transceiver started smoking immediately. Boone sighed in relief, and then, holding his hand to his head, Boone tried to take in all that had just happened. Had he ruined their chance of rescue with a few selfish or unselfish thoughts? Or did they now have a new hope? What was he going to tell the others? Should he tell the others? He wanted to break down right there, telling himself that he was a failure, and even if he told the others, they'd crucify him. He was scared senseless, and wanted to do nothing more but sink against the side of the plane, and disappear. But a single grunt drove him from those thoughts, and he picked himself up, and began what would eventually become a long process of rescue.

(Space)

"Jack!"

Jack's eyes snapped open to sand, which stung the wound on his face beyond belief, and as he groaned, rolling over, and wiping the sand off his face, wincing as he felt it inflicted into the cut he knew was running down his face. Waves crashed somewhere in the distance, and ashes lay in a pile only a few feet from him. It took him a moment to remember why he was lying the ground, shirtless, and beat up, and when he did remember, he wished he hadn't.

Except for the kiss. No one had ever made Jack feel that way before- like anything could happen, like everything was possible. But alone with the kiss he also had another memory that stuck out from last night- talking, with his father. Jack now wondered how how he could've ever even considered following his father to death, left to do nothing but watch as the survivors drug on without him, sitting as his dead commentaried.

"Jack!"

Noticing his sleeveless, purple shirt laying beside him, Jack figured that Kate must've laid it over him when he vaguely remembered falling asleep around three-thirty. As he scurried to put it on, he heard the footsteps coming closer, and realized how it would looked if someone found him sleeping with Kate.

"Hey, Kate," Jack whispered, careful not to alarm her, "Kate-"

But as he turned, he realized that he was alone, with no trace that there had ever been anyone there with him. A pang of heartbreak hit him like bricks as he found himself feeling guilty- what if Kate hadn't even wanted this? A childlike voice in his head insisted that 'she started it' but Kate had run, and no telling how long ago.

"Jack!" Jack looked up from where he was sitting on his knees to find Charlie, hunched over, and gasping for air. "Thank God-"

Jack waited for Charlie to go on, but Charlie's mind suddenly switched off.

"Did you sleep out here?" Charlie said, looking around, eyeing the burnt out fire in front of Jack.

"Yeah," Jack nodded, sounded like he was speaking more to himself than to somebody else, "guess I did." He paused. "Did you want something?"

"Yeah," Charlie said, remembering what he had came for, "you've got to come."

(space)

"Are you saying that a rescue plane flew over this island, and then crashed into it?" Shannon repeated in incredulity.

Locke agreed to tell a few of the others after telling Jack, after Kate reminded him that they'd somehow find out about it.

"So what do we do?" Charlie asked.

But instead of Jack's answers following, a loud cry for help interrupted their conversation.

"Help!" Came Boone's voice, shouting nearby. "Guys, get over here, quick!"

Spinning around, the castaways saw that Boone was coming out of the forest with a man of at least forty-two. The man's arm was around Boone's shoulder, and Boone was trying to drag him the best he could. Locke and Sayid rushed to help him, leading the man over to the tent they had set up. Jack moved to help Locke and Sayid carry the man, but Kate put a hand out to stop him. He looked at her, wondering what she was doing.

"Maybe you shouldn't over do it," Kate advised, remembering Jack's heart skipping a beat not even twenty-four hours before.

They both knew if they were back home, Jack would be in a hospital bed right now. Then again, if they were back at home, none of this would've, or would be happening. Jack hated having to be told what to do, and hated not being able to help out. It was what he did- his job. It was what he came out of his coma for. Then Kate smiled at him, reading his mind. Well, not the only thing..

"Hey, Jack!" Charlie yelled, breaking into their moment. "You should get over here!"

Jack ran over to where they had the man laid out on the sand. The man looked horrible, with a bleeding cut to the head, and a ripped up shirt sleeve. By looking at him, Jack's doctor instincts told him that the man's leg was swollen, hopefully not broken, and his arm would be cut up. It was like he had flown through a wall of glass. Just observing the man, Jack sighed, running his hand over his head, knowing it would be a long day.

Author's Note: So there you have it! First chapter! Sorry for the cheesy ending, but if I hadn't of ended it here, it would've gone on forever! There will be more Alex next chapter, and in the future. I'm very excited about this story, and have the flashbacks and the ending planned, as long as most of what's going to happen. I just have to get the order straight. Thanks to all who reviewed for "Request" and especially to any who came back!

On writing Alex, I'm putting a little of myself into her, not in past connections and what she did, but more like personally, because it's easy to see me playing her. It just helps, you know? Well, not me playing her, but, (shakes head) never mind. I just hope you like her story as much as I do!

Oh yeah, and say hi to my review/author's note buddies: Sawyer and Fluffy the Man Eating Polar Bear(who's never really eaten anything in his life). Say hi guys!

Fluffy and Sawyer: (waves) Hi guys!

They're the perfect match, especially since Sawyer's afraid of Fluffy:)

Crazyhorsegirl88- (if your here) Sorry for not doing the funny letters, lol, it'd drive me insane! Please forgive! Thanks so much for mentioning how I write romance! I was hoping someone would! I love writing that way(not to mention I'm a whimp when it comes to writing loves scenes). I might not write so much actual Jate romance as Jate scenes. I believe we're getting Jate romance all the time, with their looks, smiles, laughs, and basic conversation, because there's so much meaning and feeling behimd it. You won't see me making Kate pregnant, though I'll never say no to another kiss! I just have to tell you, don't get your hopes up for any time soon. Thanks so much for all your reviews!

And the same goes to everyone else! Usually when I write a specific review of a review, it's because that person said something that I can reply to, without going, "thank you, thank you" over and over again. Not that I don't apreciate everyone's reviews. Some people just strike an issue that I want to reply about. Thank you, all of you, who review! It's greatly apreciated! You guys make my day each time! Even the flamers, I can usually laugh at them, or take constructive critism constructivly. I generally write for myself, though I always take reviewers and it's much more funner that way!

Sawyer: Next on "Wish You Were Here":

Sayid comes this close(holds up thumb and finger) to finding out Boone's secret; Jack learns that Sawyer's back(oh yeah, he didn't see him on the beach; Sawyer and Jack have their first scene since the fight, in which Sawyer tells Jack something that he should want to hear, but the outcome's a bit shaky; I don't know if this will be next chapter but we'll learn that Alex has a secret of her own, concerning her health, that's almost just as bad as Shannon's asthma attacks. Ties between her and Sawyer may loosen, as in he won't be as much as a jerk around her. Through her flashbacks, you'll get more on her life, something creepy that led to her being stranded, and coincidences between her and Danielle, and past connections between her and the survivors that will send shivers down your spine- hopefully.

Once again, thanks and hope you liked it! Until next time..

October Sky


	2. Chapter Two

Wish You Were Here

Chapter Two

Author's Note: For you joy, peanut butter shippers, I decided to add in a Charlie/Claire story line. I'll try and get to it this fic, but plan to do it sometime in the future. Let's just say you'll get song writing Charlie and maybe, just maybe, a kiss. But not a romance kiss, because I agree with the producers on the C/C romance, it just doesn't need to happen right now. Really good friends, but not lovers, not yet.

_"What's his name?"_

_"Where'd he come from?"_

_"What happened to him?"_

_"The plane crash, you idiot!"_

_"Where's Boone?"_

"Jack, where's Boone?"

Jack eyes snapped opened from trying to reassure himself that he could do this again. Questions had meanwhile filled the air around him, demanding answers they knew he didn't have, but asked anyway, just because he was 'in charge'. Looking down, Jack saw that Kate was beside him, hands crossed. She had obviously been asking the question for awhile He looked around, and saw that Boone was, in fact, missing. The castaways looked around for the whereabouts of the by, and it was Sayid who saw the swift movement of cloth through the jungle trees. He took off after him, leaving Shannon to scream, "Sayid!" after him, and confused stares.

(Space)

Boone swore to himself that if he ever got off the stupid island, he'd go to the gym, and work out, something he'd always told himself he'd do, but never got around to doing it. Maybe it was his two jobs that got in the way. Being a lifeguard required a great deal of training, and swimming everyday, of course, but he hadn't been a very good one, and nothing had prepared for this. When he got back to camp, Boone felt like he was about to pass out. His head was pounding, heart was racing, and he was sweating beyond reason, but everyone was too preoccupied with the new castaway to notice, and who could blame him? During those few moments, Boone had completely forgotten about the transceiver, and the message, but had remembered while running through the jungle, escaping from nothing.

Panting, Boone rested his back against a tree, then leaned over, wheezing, as he tried to regain a steady breathing pace. He let out a few coughs of exhaustion before letting his head rest against his tree, and fumbled around the side pocket of his pack, where he kept his meds. Taking one, Boone let it does its work as he went through his usual debate of hating himself, telling himself he'd run out eventually, and might as well learn to deal with it now. Then he'd remember the horrifying face of his hallucination, the heart-raising voice, and the fact that it was, as he had recently learned, Locke's daughter.

"What're you doing?" Sayid's voice demanded from not to far away.

Boone shove the meds into his pocket, and forced himself up.

"I was just-" Boone quickly tried to think of a lie, "-I thought I was going to be sick. Hiking through the jungle with him and all."

"Did you find out who 'he' is?" Sayid asked.

Assuming that he had gotten away with the lie, Boone answered his question.

"No," Boone said, and beginning to walk into nowhere.

Hoping that Boone might accidentally lead him to wherever it was he and Locke went everyday, Sayid didn't protest, and just followed.

"When did the plane crash?" Sayid asked while noticing the side pocket of Boone's pack was unzipped, something that would go unnoticed to anyone who had given the bag so much as a glance before.

"Sometime early this morning," Boone said, recalling the previous nights events, "maybe two, three, sometime after-"

Boone stopped his sentence short. He had forgotten all about what happened with Sayid and Shannon, and began to feel a little uneasy about walking in the jungle alone with the same man who was able to knock him unconscious for over an hour. He figure if he was capable of forgetting with everything that had happened, maybe Sayid did too.

"After Locke fell," Boone finally finished, and held his breath waiting for Sayid to answer.

"Locke fell?" Sayid repeated.

Boone let out a breath of relief.

"Yeah," Boone said, "it was weird, he just- fell down."

He decided not to bring what Locke had said, the one thing that hadn't been able to escape his mind, into this. Later, he'd thought, he'd have to remember to ask Locke about it. What had startled Boone so much was how scared Locke looked. For the first time he had witnessed Locke really, really, afraid, something that hadn't even been seen the day of the crash, and he wasn't about to let Locke's reputation down now. And the fact that the man had been set out to kill him for the last eight years helped.

"How much do you know about Locke?" Sayid asked, finding himself curious of the man the entire island knew least about.

"Not much," Boone said.

_Except that his wife and daughter were killed by some drunken lunatic eight years ago in a car crash._

But somehow it still seemed unfair to Boone that Locke knew every detail of Boone's life, yet he knew nothing except for that one scrape of memory about Locke. Save the fact that he swore he worked in a box company.

"And how much does Locke know about you?"

"More than I know I think," Boone said, a paranoid part of him wondering if Sayid knew or was suspicious of anything.

"And that doesn't scare you?" Sayid said, eyebrow raised.

"It scares the hell out outta me," Boone wasn't afraid to admit.

The conversation grew quiet, and Boone began to wonder why his pack was so heavy when he remembered the dead transceiver inside. If anyone were to fix it, Sayid could, and now was the perfect time to say something, especially if he didn't want anything to start amongst the castaways. Stopping, Boone turned swiftly, almost running into Sayid, who he didn't realize was right behind him.

"What?" Sayid inquired.

"Um.." Boone began, not sure how to tell him, "there's something else."

"About Locke?" Sayid said, confused.

"No, about the plane," Boone said, reaching into his pack, "when I was inside I went into the cockpit where I found that guy..and this."

Pulling it, out he showed Sayid the transceiver. Sayid reacted calmer than he ever could've, though he did looked like his heart just skipped a beat.

"A transceiver?" Sayid said in awe.

He reacted like a quiet old man would react at winning the lottery: excited but not about to jump around.

"There's more, Boone added.

Sayid stared at him.

"I got a message out," Boone said, "a May Day."

Sayid just continued to stare at him, as if waiting for someone to say "April Fools".

"A May Day?" Sayid repeated finally. "What did you tell them?"

Boone could've laughed at witnessing Sayid trying to hide his excitement. Because who wouldn't be excited at news like this? Unless, of course, they didn't believe him.

"I told them we needed help," Boone remembered, "that we were the survivors of Oceanic Flight 815."

"What did they say?" Sayid said, somewhat urgently.

"She acted like they didn't expect there to be any survivors," Boone said, "she wanted to know where we were, and I told them somewhere in the South Pacific. I told her that there was a pregnant girl, and a French woman who had lived here for sixteen years, and-"

Boone was thankful after Sayid interrupted him, because he had almost blurted out the secret hatch he and Locke had found.

"You told them about Danielle?" Sayid said, blindly.

"Yeah," Boone said, "I thought maybe they could trace back, look for scientist who-"

"Danielle's ship blew off course," Sayid said, eyes hardening, furious, "it would be no use."

Turning, Sayid began to walk back toward the beach. Boone stared after him, trying to understand a word at what had just gone on.

"Well excuse me for trying to help out for once around here!" Boone shouted, then hated himself for it, realizing he sounded like an eight your old girl trying to get back at her brother. Or step brother.

"Maybe if you were around enough to help-" Sayid replied simply.

"Just don't tell anyone, all right?" Boone called after him.

This time, Sayid turned around.

"Of course not," Sayid said, eyes still cold, "why would I get their hopes up?"

Boone watched in loath as Sayid continued down the path. Waiting until he was out of sight, and then turned, heading to the only place he knew where to go.

(Space)

With help from Michael, Kate, and Charlie, Jack had managed to get the unknown survivor to the caves, where they laid him down near the waterfall. Jack noticed a trace of dry blood on the cave wall near them, and he couldn't help but to wonder if it was his. Tracing his gaze, Kate met his eyes before quickly looking away, but Jack then wished he hadn't.

Walking into the caves was the one man Jack never wanted to see again: Sawyer, and worse, he was walking towards him. Jack then could've kicked himself when he saw that Sawyer was heading towards the waterfall. That was the first time Jack realized what was happening to him. He was becoming afraid of Sawyer. The air around him was dead silent as Jack found himself watching every move, with a slight, jumpy fear that Jack wanted to murder, send through hell, and bury again.

Though he didn't have a mirror to prove it, only Kate's word, he knew by the amount of pain that Sawyer had gotten him bad, but not badly, and began to wonder where his subconscious mind had been during Sawyer's little ritual.

Jack felt's Kate arm on his and the tension in the room was knife-cutting as Sawyer gave Jack one good look as he stood up. It was uncertain, especially to those who didn't have a clue as to what was going on, what Sawyer was trying to say with that look, rather it be plain hatred, anger, loathing, or an apology, and Jack frantically tried to decide that as Sawyer cupped some water in his hands, let it run over his bruised forehead, and finally, stand up, walking over to Jack, where he stood a moment before finally gathering the strength to talk.

"Um.." he began, "I found something, back in the jungle."

Not able to do more than stare, Sawyer considered that a sign to go on.

"A body bag-" Sawyer continued, and allowed Jack to take that in, knowing that, most likely, only Jack would know exactly what he meant.

And Jack did take it in. When he heard the words 'body bag', Jack was sure his heart had skipped a beat, but no coma came, so he figured he had to just take it in and hide it, right along with everything else.

"There was something else too," Sawyer added in a quiet voice that wasn't quite his.

When Jack couldn't bring himself to ask what, he just watched as Sawyer reached into his back pocket, and brought out two items.

"Found somethin' of yours," Sawyer finished.

"What makes you think it's mine?" Jack forced himself to say, thankful his voice didn't go uneven.

"Your signature was on the papers," Sawyer shrugged, "the body's a few miles east of here in some wreckage. You can't miss it."

Sawyer turned and quietly walked out of the caves, the sound of his feet shuffling against the hard ground being the only answer as Jack unfolded the first paper given to him: a death certificate. Kate's armed tightened around his, and Jack accepted it, as he stared at the paper a minute or two before remembering there was another, and he knew what it was before he opened it.

The others, along with Kate, tried to get a better look at what was a sheet from a legal pad Jack had borrowed from the hotel his father had stayed him. From behind him, Kate watched as Jack's hands shook slightly, reminding Kate of how Jack acted the last time the issue of his father came up, when Jack had nearly pounded Sawyer to the bone until Locke had come to his rescue. The only thing she could make out, was scrawny letters written by rickety hands: My father, Jack Shepard.. Jack had never finished. A sudden obscure feeling arose inside him and the next thing Jack new, he was letting out a scream of frustration as he ripped the paper in half. The castaways watched in amazement and confusion as he did, and Kate fought to keep a hold on him, and tried to stop him.

"Jack-" Kate said while desperately trying to get Jack to get a hold of himself, "Jack stop! Please-" he tried to shake her away as she kept her grip, "-stop! Jack!"

Finally breaking away, Jack through down the thousands of pieces as the survivor's looks changed from confusion to worry. For a single moment, Jack let Kate hold onto him, but then found himself breaking away, ignoring Kate's calls for him to come back as he headed towards the beach.

_The lamppost flickered on and off before finally making bay in a bright, sunlight glow, dinning over the Eiffel Tower under the August Moon. Alex stared up at a guy two years older than her, a guy who stared down at her as though he wanted nothing more then to take her into his arms, and pull her into a kiss. And then he did. Alex let her arms slip around his back, his hands guiding their way through her hair as she suddenly felt much older than sixteen, and knew that she could take anything thrown her way, because right now, everything was absolutely perfect._

_Screaming, Alex's head shot straight up, banging into a cold sheet of glass. The scream soon turned into a groaned, "Ow!". She rubbed her head where she hit it, and her hand then moved to her sore neck when she looked over to where her boyfriend, Adam was sitting next to her in the driver's seat of his truck, eating a subway sandwich, he gave a glance to her, then said:_

_"The Paris dream again?"_

_Nodding, Alex laid her head back against the car seat, and stared out into the half-moonlit night beyond the back lot of the drive-in they had parked in, just wishing it would stop._

Hearing the crash of falling objects, Alex looked up from where she stood along with dozens of suitcases and bags that had made home in a pile, offering clothing and toiletries to the beach camp, and anyone who would walk by. Jack was holding onto a spare piece of wreckage, trying to keep his balance from falling. Finding herself feeling sorry for the poor guy as she looked at him, Alex took in the bet(literally) and exhausted man bending over in front of her. For some reason unbeknownst to her, he looked pained, hurt, and almost on the verge of tears.

"Oh, sorry," Alex said, knowing she hadn't really done anything, "I was just- looking for something."

Jack nodded, as if she understood exactly what she meant. They both went back to their searching, though she couldn't see what Jack would want in the pile, unless someone at the caves needed a new shirt, or he was desperate for some more medicine, which seemed to be the case.

"So how have you been holding up?" Jack asked her after they searched in silenced for a while.

"You mean aside from the fact that I'm a sixteen year old girl shipwrecked along with forty something other plane crash survivors twice my age except for one little boy and his dog?" Alex said to Jack. "Or aside from the fact that everyone's to afraid to talk to me?"

"I'm talking to you," Jack pointed out, sounding a little hurt, though it could've just been mocked.

"I know," Alex said offering Jack a small smile.

She hadn't asked for a father figure, or any guidance at all, but Jack seemed ready to give it to her, something that she respected. Turning back to her searching, she looked for some kind of pair of jeans that came close to matching her size. All she had was a spaghetti string dress she was stranded with, and someone's skirt and tank top she had found in some wreckage. It didn't take a genius to tell her she wouldn't survive on an island in those clothes.

"So what do you think about this?" Jack asked.

Looking up, Alex half expected to see Jack holding up to different colored shirts, asking for her opinion, but he wasn't even looking at her.

"I mean about the recent crashes," Jack correcting, seeing her glance.

Alex didn't answer, unsure of what to say. Jack saw this, and not wanting to push her, gave his opinion instead as she casually checked the labels of a pair of faded flares that ended up being two sizes two big.

"I think they're a sign," Jack stated, "two different types of transportation passing within days, even if they have crashed, whose to say one won't?"

"Yeah," Alex said in agreement, though she didn't really agree.

"My faith is growing," Jack admitted, "fate looks good for us-"

"There's a fine line between fate and faith," Alex said suddenly before she could stop herself.

She had always felt strongly about the subject, and it had just come naturally to her.

"Oh yeah?" Jack said, interested. "Which side do you think we're on?"

"Personally," Alex said holding back from letting out a small sigh of relief when she found a pair of light blue jeans, though with holes in the knees, that were exactly her size, "I think we're standing right on it."

Taking the jeans, Alex turned, pulling her long hair back as it went flying, and Jack watched as she left, and found himself believing that they were dealing with more than your average sixteen year old.

Author's Note: So, did you like? Does it make sense..j/k! Lol! I hope it does, anyway. The scene with Sawyer and Locke is in my fic "Outlaws". Thanks so much for the reviews, and I hope you liked it again!

Sawyer: Next up on-

Fluffy: Hey! It's my turn! (shoves Sawyer out of the way)

Sawyer: (loud thud) Ow!

Fluffy: (smiles to the audience) Next up, on "Wish You Were Here":

More Alex flashbacks, skipping time, you'll find out what she does about these repeating dreams of her and her boyfriend, Adam(who will seem like the perfect couple- and maybe are) kissing in front of the Eiffel tower that have no meaning to her whatsoever. More of these little Jack/Alex chats(never turning into romance for those of you with a nasty mind!). Alex will explain her outlook on fate, Claire will make a request upon Charlie(lol- a story late), the new plane crash survivor takes an automatic grudge upon Boone, Sayid suspicion raises and lowers when he finds her out in the jungles at night, Kate learns the truth behind Sawyer's attack on Jack, who, by the way, isn't doing very well emotionally. Is that enough for ya? I'm not promising that'll all come in one chapter though..

Thanks again, and until next time..

October Sky


	3. Chapter Three

Wish You Were Here

Chapter Three

Disclaimer: "The Stranger" was written and performed by Billy Joel and can be found on his album/CD, "The Stranger".

When Jack finally forced himself to go back to the caves, he found Kate waiting for him, leaning against a wall, watching the waterfall. On any other occasion where he hadn't just thrown a temper tantrum in front of a group of people that looked up to him as their hero, he would've made some comment about her continuous distant stare, even away from the beach. Instead, he got right to what was on his mind:

"Why didn't you tell me he was back?" Jack demanded, making Kate jump a little before turning to him calmly.

"Jack-" Kate began.

"Don't," Jack said, shaking his head.

He wasn't in the mood for lectures on his behavior or health. For once, all he wanted to do was what he was meant to do: be the doctor, but that was a problem when he saw that he had no patient.

"Where is everyone?" Jack said at this, and noticing the emptiness of the caves.

"Michael and Charlie took the man back to the beach," Kate told him, "along with some of your medical supplies. We figured both you and he could use the fresh air."

"Great," Jack muttered, "it'll be like the marshall all over again."

"Jack, don't say that-"

"Forget it," Jack said, heading out again, "I've got a patient to tend to."

Kate watched, helpless, as he left, and then left herself, taking a different path.

(Space)

"Sawyer!" Kate called, approaching Sawyer's new dwelling which was built around a stood up piece of wreckage that Sawyer was laying against.

"Well, well, well," Sawyer said, taking of his sun glasses and putting down his books, "look who came back from over the woods and far away."

Kate's eyes narrowed. This was a very different Sawyer from who she saw only a little over a half an hour ago. That Sawyer seemed at some sort of peace with himself, and seemed to be drowned in some sort of self-guilt. This was the normal, every day regular jerk.

"I just wanted to tell you to stay away from Jack," Kate said as she found her eyes trailing to the bruise that stood out on his forehead where Sayid had hit him.

Catching her, she quickly turned away, and Sawyer smiled.

"Aw, you lookin' out for him now?" Sawyer smirked.

"It's more of a two way street," Kate said, not denying it.

"Well hell," Sawyer said, "I already know you made out with him, why would I want to hang around you two anyway?"

Kate's eyes widened in horror. How could he possibly have found out?

"Anybody can look into your eyes and see that," Sawyer said, pleased with her worry, "and as for Jack? He's acting like he's feeling guilty for his father catching him down in the basement with some girl he's not supposed to be with."

Not helping but to smile, Kate had to admit that in a way, Sawyer was right about that. She had noticed Jack's change in personality the first moment she saw him after that night. It was like he was nervous, or afraid of something.

"My guess is that he's never been in a relationship that's lasted more than a week," Sawyer said, shrugging, "want to start betting on this one?"

Kate stared at him, disgusted. She had considered a relationship with Jack, of course, but she had always assumed that with the circumstances, it would be impossible, and had eventually let the thought slip. Until now. She couldn't just ignore that their was chemistry, something that she knew and the others had suspected since day one, and they certainly had a connection. And it wasn't as though Jack were a great guy, in fact, she had never met another like him. He cared for other more than himself, and was always the first to volunteer to put his neck on the line when it come to save his other. He hid his own problems for the sake of other's hopes, and often pulled it off, no matter how much he truly wanted to let go.

"He just doesn't need this right now," Kate said when she realized that Sawyer had been watching her think.

"Don't worry," Sawyer said, leaning back against the piece of wreckage, "I've already decided that a man like him wouldn't have the guts to crash a plane even if he had to."

"Then why did you do it?" Kate said, crossing her arms. "You knew Jack didn't crash the plane. Why'd you have to go and hurt him like that?"

"Let's just say I don't like people having an unfair advantage over me," Sawyer said, satisfied with his answer, though Kate wasn't.

"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked.

"You're the smart one," Sawyer said, lighting up a cigaret.

Kate grimaced at the smell of smoke.

"You figure it out."

(Space)

"How much longer do I need to hold him down?" Charlie asked as Jack stitched the last stitch in the survivor's arm.

"Just- a little- bit- longer-," Jack said as he held the man's arm down, "now."

Charlie sighed as he let go of where he was holding the man down.

"Thank God," Charlie muttered, turning away at the site of dry blood.

"Anything I can do?" Sayid asked, watching Jack work.

"No," Jack said as he rechecked the man's pulse, "I'm good."

"You sure?" Michael asked. "I mean-"

"I'm fine," Jack said a little more forcefully this time.

The three castaways stared at Jack as he held his head down, and then stood up, and left the tent for no apparent reason at all. Jack hadn't known what had come over him, a familiar feeling now that he had grown to hate. He hated having to feel like some kind of child all the time, throwing tantrums he couldn't control and finding himself getting teary for no reason at all. As a doctor, he knew the diagnoses would be grieving, maybe depression, something he wouldn't and didn't want to admit. Letting out a groan of frustration as he threw his head upwards and then back down, holding onto it, he didn't noticed that Sayid had followed him, and was now turning him around.

"Is something wrong, Jack?" Sayid inquired, eyebrow raised.

"Something wrong?" Jack repeated, making Sayid a little nervous at the tone of his voice, and found himself anticipating a punch at any given moment. "Other than the fact that the only man I can talk about my father's death to tried to kill me last night? My dead father that I've been seeing hallucinations of since the first week? Or the fact that I have a guy in there with a messed up leg, concussion, and no tools to work with? Or the fact that I've still got a sixteen year old girl who-"

"I'll talk to Alex," Sayid offered, interrupting him.

"What?" Jack said, taken aback.

"I know you've been coming down here everyday to talk to her," Sayid said, "I'll do it. The last thing you need is more pressure."

"No, it's fine," Jack said, shaking his head, "I didn't mean it like that."

He really hadn't. Talking to Alex was one of the few things he could actually look forward to doing. It was kind of like talking to a younger Kate which was pleasant enough. Not that he didn't enjoy talking to Kate, he loved to, when he wasn't getting one of those unknown feelings or with the feeling that no matter how much he wanted to, he could never start a relationship with her, for the sake of the others, and he hated that.

"You just go back to your job," Sayid said, to sympathetic for Jack's behalf, "I'll look after the girl."

Jack glanced over to Alex who was sitting, dressed in a pair of the faded blue jeans she had found earlier and a dark green sleeveless shirt, staring out to sea, and then glanced back towards the tent, and knew Sayid was right.

"All right," Jack agreed, and slapped Sayid on the shoulder as they went their separate ways.

(Space)

Alex was staring out into the horizon as she did day after day when a yellow lab ran up and sat down next to her, panting.

"Hey there," Alex said, rubbing behind his ears, "Vincent right?"

Of course the dog didn't answer, only curled its hind legs underneath him, and laid his head down in the sand, allowing Alex to rub his belly.

"I feel bad for you," Alex admitted, "must be horrible, being the only other being on the island that no one except on person cares about, and the others pity. Just sitting there, day after day, have nothing to do except drown yourself in memories."

Alex laughed to herself, realizing what she was doing.

"And listen to me," Alex said, amused, "I'm talking to a dog."

At the comment, Vincent jumped off and ran away towards the beach camp.

"I didn't mean it!" Alex called after the dog, and then sighed. "Great, even a stupid dog won't listen to me."

"I'll listen to you," a voice behind her offered.

Turning, Alex saw an Iraqi man whose name she couldn't recall, walking towards her.

"Oh sorry," she said quickly, embarrassed, I was just-"

"No need," the man said, smiling, "mind if I have a seat?"

Alex shook her head, grateful for the company.

"I don't believe I know your name," the man said.

"Alex," she said, and turned to him, expecting a return of names.

Instead, the man looked startled to learn this. He caught himself, after a moment, though, and held out his hand.

"Sayid," he offered.

"You look like you just saw a ghost," Alex said, excepting the shake.

"I think I might have," Sayid admitted, and noticed some sheets of paper that Alex had placed a rock over.

"Working on homework?" Sayid said, curious.

"What?" Alex looked down to where he was staring. "Oh, no, somebody else's probably. I was just bored."

She removed the rock from the papers, and showed them to Sayid, whose face showed a sign of more recognition.

"Where did you get these?" Sayid asked, his charm failing.

"Um.." Alex said, trying to remember, "I just found them. They had flow off from somewhere."

Sayid stared down in awe and disbelief at the pool of equations in front of him.

"How did you know how to solve these?" He asked her, holding out the papers.

"I guess it just came naturally," Alex said truthfully, shrugging, "I guess I'm just good at math."

That part was a lie, she knew. Math was her worst subject.

"No one's that smart," Sayid said, as if not wanting to admit his own downfall.

"I'm sorry," Alex said, wondering why he was acting that way, "it's just, I-"

"It's all right," Sayid said, standing up.

Alex watched him, unsure why he was so upset.

"I need to be somewhere," Sayid lied, and left, leaving Alex to stare after him in confusion.

(Space)

_Alex sighed as she sat with her elbow rested below the white keys of the grand piano the hotel clerk in Paris had let her use. She had told him that she could play, and he didn't seem to care at all when she sat down. Now resting her head in her hand, she fingered and began to play the slow beginning melody of her favorite Billy Joel song, "The Stranger". The tune flowing through the air in octaves, she didn't notice footsteps approaching, and pretended like she didn't hear the singing that was coming towards her._

_"Well we all fall in love," a male voice that she knew to well sang as he came forward, "but we disregard the danger. Though we share so many secrets-" he sat down next to her as she had stopped playing and resulted in staring into the black and white keys, "there are some we never tell."_

_Looking up at him, Alex's eyes were filled with exhaustion and self-pity._

_"I'm sorry," Alex said softly, "about all of this."_

_"Hey," Adam said, straddling himself onto the piano bench, "a trip to Paris? Doesn't bother me at all."_

_"It's just, that dream," Alex said, taking her hand down, "it just kept coming to me and I figured there must be some meaning- and there's not."_

_"Hey, come on," Adam said, holding her chin in his hand, "it's all right."_

_She shook her head, knocking off his hand, and sighed._

_"Well I know we didn't come all the way to Paris so that you could sit and play the piano," Adam said, "let's go get something to eat. I found this nice cafe down the street and-"_

_"I want to go home."_

_Adam looked at her._

_"What?" He said. "We just got here yesterday. Maybe you're answer's in-"_

_"No, Adam," Alex said, looking down, "I want to go home. Back to New York."_

_She looked up at him, only to observe him quickly looking down._

_"Um.." he stuttered, "that's the problem."_

_"What?"_

_"We don't have enough money to get us back to New York," Adam admitted, embarrassed._

_"What?" Alex exclaimed. "How could that have happened? That show we did at the grill, that audience-"_

_"Didn't like me as much as I hoped," Adam said, and face fell at the sight of hers, but then he broke into a small smile. "But hey, hey, don't fret. I've got a plan to get us home."_

_"How?" Alex said, ready to become amused at whatever ridiculous plan he had in mind now._

_"I got us a job," he said, smiling, "on a cruise ship."_

_"What?" Alex said, thinking of their current part time jobs. "But you know I can't sing! That's you, not me!"_

_"No, no," Adam said, laughing a little, "you'll be doing the same thing you always do, waiting tables."_

_Alex breathed a sigh of relief._

_"All you have to do is wear pretty black dresses and listen to me wail my depressing lyrics," Adam said._

_"Can't wait," Alex said, smiling at trying to reassure him._

_Truthfully, she knew that this plan couldn't lead them anywhere, and would, most likely, do them any good._

Author's Note: School's starting back so don't expect a chapter every night. Maybe every other. I'll try. Right now, it's eleven-thirty, and I'm beat. Thanks for the reviews! I'll take what I get!

October Sky


	4. Chapter Four

Wish You Were Here

Chapter Four

NOTE: I know nothing about diabetes, but I need to for this character. Any information would help! Thanks! Also- I'm going with Claire's still pregnant, just so I won't confuse those who haven't read the entire series, and myself after Wednesdays. Just pretend like before, Sawyer rescued Claire, still pregnant.

Jack was trying to concentrate on the temporary stitches he was threading into their new survivor's shoulder when Sayid stormed in, breaking his focus, almost causing him to rip the man's skin. He held back from cursing as Sayid waited for him to start a conversation.

"Back already?" Jack said when Sayid had made it clear that he wanted Jack to say something first.

"I don't trust her," Sayid said flatly.

"What?" Jack said. "You were with her for five minutes and you don't trust her?"

Shoving the equations into Jack's face, Sayid said: "Look at these."

"They're equations," Jack said, not getting it.

"I've never seen anything like them," Sayid said in anger, "I've been working on them for weeks, and come up with nothing, yet she can solve them in ten minutes."

"So we have ourselves a kid genius," Jack shrugged as he began to get back to work.

"What are the odds that she has the same name as the French woman's child, and can understand her notes that nobody else can?" Sayid said.

"Considering that everybody else is you and Shannon," Jack said, thinking, "pretty good."

Sighing, Sayid gathered his papers, and left, leaving Jack to shake his head, wondering what the point of that was, and went back to stitching.

(Space)

That night, Sayid made his way through the jungle heading back towards camp. He had been up at the beach nearly all night, searching for the rest of Danielle's notes that had mysteriously floated away. Around midnight, he was finally turning the last path to camp, and he knew that he'd find Shannon asleep by a fire where she had tried to fight to stay awake and wait for him, but would fail. The air seemed still and silent, all for a soft rustle of fallen leaves. Stopping at the noise, Sayid listened for further movement, then began to walk forward, taking precaution. Slowly walking forward, Sayid prepared himself for any possible attack, but instead found..

"What are you doing here?" Sayid ask, making Alex jump and drop the bag she was holding.

"I..I was just-" Alex couldn't think of a lie quick enough as Sayid picked up the bag she had been holding, and straightening himself back up, he noticed her hands were slightly pale and shaking.

He pulled out what Alex had stuffed into the bag. She had looked like she was about to inject herself with something, and Sayid found himself guessing right when he saw what he was holding was a small type of shot.

"What's this?" He asked, knowing it was familiar but not being able to place a name to it.

His very first thought was whatever it was that Danielle had sedated himself with. Alex stared at him, forcing herself not to be nervous in his presence. Finally she sighed, and gave up.

"I have diabetes," she admitted.

"Diabetes?" Sayid repeated, expecting more than that.

"Since I was twelve," Alex nodded, "I've been coming out here every night to check my blood pressure and all. Thank god I found a kit in the wreckage."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Sayid asked, eyeing her, yet feeling a little more sympathetic towards her.

"Everyone already has enough to deal with," Alex expressed, "no one wants to put up with a little girl with a history of bad health.

"Jack would," Sayid reminded her.

Alex shrugged.

"It just seems like he has so much to deal with, you know?" Alex said, and Sayid nodded, understanding. "Along with whatever's going on with him, and this is something I can deal with myself."

"So how are you dealing with the food issue?" Sayid asked, now more curious than suspicious.

"It's all right," Alex said, shrugging again, "mostly the same fruits though. I get sick every time I eat fish."

Sayid smiled.

"I think I can help you there."

(Space)

"You're up late," Charlie commented as he entered the caves where Claire was sitting, staring into a fire with a blanket wrapped around her.

"I couldn't sleep," Claire admitted.

"Worried about the little one?" Charlie guessed, smiling as he sat down next to her.

"He should've came by now," Claire said, looking at Charlie, worry written all over her tired face.

"It's a he now?" Charlie joked, and then softened at Claire's hard face. "Maybe there's a reason it's not coming yet. Maybe it's waiting for something."

"That's what I'm afraid of," Claire sighed.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Charlie asked, looking at Claire, feeling more sorry for her now then ever.

"Actually," Claire said, a smile developing on her face, "I was wondering if you could sing to me?"

"Sing to you?" Charlie cried. "But Claire- he lowered his voice playfully, "there are people around!"

Claire laughed, and slapped him on the shoulder, an act that made Charlie himself smile.

"Whatever happened to Mr. Rock Star?" Claire joked. "The one who performed in front of millions of screaming fans under no nerves?"

"Fine," Charlie surrendered, "but you'll have to wait."

"Why?" Claire said, in a mock whine.

"You'll see," Charlie said, smiling mischievously, and stood up, leaving Claire watching him go, and in the first time in what seemed like weeks, smiling.

(Space)

The next day, Sayid walked the shoreline to Sawyer's haven, where he found Sawyer stuck halfway through the end of the book _A Wrinkle In Time_. Sayid had to smirk at the sight of Sawyer reading a children's book. When he reached the mini camp, he stood, arms crossed, waiting for Sawyer to look up.

"You made it back," Sayid observed while Sawyer tried ignore him.

Giving up, Sawyer simpered and said: "What? Missed my grand entrance?"

"Just glad to know you're staying away from Jack," Sawyer said.

"Skip it," Sawyer said, "I've already heard that lecture. What can I do ya for?"

Sayid kneeled down beside him, making sure he got Sawyer's attention.

"When we found the tail section of the plane," Sayid began, "did you take any of the peanuts?"

"You Iraqis have something against fish?" Sawyer said, somewhat amused.

"It's for the girl," Sayid told him.

Sawyer looked around, searching for Shannon, but found that she was no where in sight. Instead he spotted the new girl, sitting as she did day after day, staring out into the horizon like he had seen Kate do so many times.

"Alex?" Sawyer question.

"She has diabetes," Sayid said, "she can't eat some of the fruit, and she's allergic to fish."

So the last part was a lie, but anything that would work.

"Well fine," Sawyer said, reaching over to a black suitcase, "putting me on the spot and all."

He threw a bag of peanuts to Sayid, who caught them before they plummeted into his chest.

"Thanks," Sayid said sincerely.

"Whatever," Sawyer said, going back to his book as Sayid stood and left.

(Space)

Alex sat on her usual spot on the beach, staring out into the ocean, trying to remember what a ship looked like so she could try and picture one wading out on the horizon. It shouldn't of been so horrible, she though, considering..

_"Adam!" Alex yelled after Adam, who was lost in a mass of hundreds of passengers that were boarding the S.S. Moondance. _

_It was the lamest name for a ship she had ever heard, but as long as she had a way of getting back home, she didn't care. She stood on the heals of her black shoes, letting the Pacific breeze blow her hair around her face as she searched the crowds for Adam, who she finally found, talking to a few men boarding the ship. Spotting her, he waved, ushering her over as the men filed out._

_"Who were they?" Alex inquired as she approached._

_"Listen, I need to talk to you," Adam said, pulling her aside just to the edge of the peer._

_The scene would've been far more beautiful if it wasn't for the pit forming in her stomach, a subconscious guilt telling her that nothing good was coming out of this. They were standing on the dock of a bay outlining the very edges of the continent, whose name she was killing herself for not remembering. The sun was bright in a cloudless skies. Stores baring all sorts of souvenirs and sweets lined the outskirts of the bay, providing a cure for boredom waiting for those who were boarding the cruise. She hadn't had time to browse, but she saw various people coming back with foreign goods and t-shirts saying: "My best friend went to Europe and all she brought me back was the stupid t-shirt". She couldn't believe they actually sold those there._

_"What is it?" Alex said, tugging at a lose strand of hair. _

_Adam took her buy the shoulders, a move which made her nervous, and the seriousness at the tone of his voice scared her even more._

_"It turns out, the cruise isn't going to New York," Adam said, waiting for her outburst, which soon came._

_"What?" Alex exclaimed. "How-"_

_"It's going to New Hampshire," Adam said._

_"What kind of cruise goes to New Hampshire?" Alex cried._

_"What kind of cruise goes to New York?" Adam retorted, and then softened. "Look, I'm sorry, it was an honest mistake."_

_"You're going to be sorry," Alex muttered._

_"But I've got a plan-"_

_"You always do," Alex mumbled, irritated._

_Adam glared at her, and then went back to what he was saying._

_"I met these guys," Adam continued,and was once again cut off._

_"The ones you were talking to?"_

_"Yeah," Adam nodded, "they can get us a boat, a good one, and we can sail ourselves closer to New York, and go from there."_

_"But we have no money," Alex pointed out._

_"That's where we come in," Adam said, "because, you see, neither do they."_

_Alex stared at him. What kind of plan was this?_

_"But there's something about this boat that nobody knows except for those three and I, and now you," Adam said, lowering his voice drastically, "in the cargo of this ship is half a million dollars."_

_"What?" Alex said, eyes widening._

_"If we get them the money, they'll get us the boat," Adam said, and held a breath, awaiting her reply._

_"They want us to rob it?" Alex said, taking it in._

_"I'll do the dirty work," Adam promised, "no one we'll get hurt, I swear."_

_Alex looked at him doubtfully as they finally horn blew for the boarding of the ship._

_"It's the only way we'll get home," Adam reminded her, "you're uncle's out for the next week, no one will find out."_

_Looking down, Alex hated herself for being right. Nothing good was going to come out of this. Nevertheless, she looked up into Adam's desperate eyes, and nodded._

"Alex!" Sayid's voice called, jerking her away from her memories.

Alex turned and nodded, signaling to Sayid that it was all right for him to come over. Sitting down, Sayid handed her the bag of peanuts, which she accepted gratefully. Tearing the bag open, Alex tore off the shell of a nut, and popped it into her mouth, letting the taste of salt match the smell of salt in her hair. Sayid stared out into the ocean while she ate a few, and then figured as long as they were going to sit there, they might as well talk.

"So Jack tells me that your a big believer in fate," Sayid said.

Eyeing him, Alex tried to tell herself not to feel betrayed in anyway by Jack. Nobody made him talk to her, but she enjoyed the company, nonetheless. Of course he would've told something like that to somebody else, or at least mention it. She couldn't blame him as suspicious as they were of her.

"Mind telling me why?" Sayid finished.

Alex took a deep breath, and, pulling her a long strand of hair behind her ear.

"Weird things happen to me," Alex said simply.

"Weird things like what?"

She stared out into the horizon again before finally replying.

"This one time, in fifth grade, when I was ten," Alex began, "my dad took me to this outlet mall. I didn't want to go, I was never the type to want to shop or spend hours standing around at a store, but my mom died when I was a baby and he was always saying that we never spent enough time together, and wanted us to bond or something."

"Your mom died?" Sayid repeated, thinking of Danielle. "How?"

"A car crash," Alex replied, and then went on with her story, "anyway, we stopped into this toy store where they were having a sail on these bookmarks at the front counter. I moped around the store for an hour, and then spotted them, and immediately was drawn to them. They had these ships on them, anchored in this dock in the sunset." Alex laughed a little to herself in memory as Sayid watched her. "I had this thing with ships when I was little."

"Did you get one?" Sayid asked, curious.

"When we were almost out into the parking lot, I begged my dad to let me go back and get one," Alex said, "since he wanted me to have at least one good memory of the day, he gave me a dollar fifty and watched as I ran back inside and bought it."

Alex stopped, turning her gaze to the ground, and lowering her voice as she spoke to the tiny shells embedded into the sand.

"On the way home," Alex continued after a long pause, "we got stuck in traffic, and it turned out, this truck had flipped over, causing a five car pileup only minutes before. Three people died and two others were severely injured. This one man was turned up, all the way under his car, twisted between the seats." She shuddered at the thought. "For years after that, even now, I couldn't help but to think, that if I hadn't of gone back to get that bookmark, that one, stupid bookmark that I ended up loosing a few days later-"

"That you might've been one of those people?" Sayid concluded, looking at her.

She turned, and met his eyes.

"Yeah," she said quietly, and turned her gaze back to the ground.

Neither said anything as Alex eventually went back to munching on the peanuts, and after a few good moments, she tilted the bag over, making an offer to Sayid. Sayid accepted, and made to reach his hand in, and made up his mind that even though she might end up being the French woman's daughter, he now saw no reason not to trust her.

Author's Note: So how'd you like the Charlie/Claire fluff? I'll try to get Jack back in with talking to Alex. I know they have at least one scene together coming up. Thanks for everyone whose reviewing! I really appreciate it! And a question: would yall hate me if I ended up writing a fic with one of the plots being Sawyer and his headaches after Wednesday? I really want to do that plot, along with some of the Kristen from E-online spoilers. Thanks again, and hoped you enjoyed it!

Sawyer: But it's not fair, why am I the one who has to have the headaches!

Fluffy: (smug) Because nobody likes you!

Sawyer: Do too!

Fluffy: We'll see..

Review replies:

**Freckles-101**: Glad to see you again! Also glad you like the story, and don't worry, you'll get more Alex!

**LOTRfanficreader**: You don't mind me shortening your screen name, do you? Thanks for all the reviews! Sayid's one of my favorite characters too, and he's unlike any character I've ever written before, and I love writing him! He's so different, you know?

**Crazyhorsegirl88**: You don't mind me not doing your crazy letters, do you? That would drive me insane, lol! You might see some J/K romance, though I'm not promising it and not saying when. Jack's really confused at this point, and is unsure how he's feeling and what's going on. He has some personal issues to work through before he moves on to romance, but that doesn't mean that Kate won't get to help him. That's how the romance will come in. Also, think it's the same bar and grill? Want to be spoiled? All I'll tell you right now is, you have seen her before, at least in my story!

**auromast**: (from chapters one and two) Didn't want to leave you out! Thanks for all the reviews, and I'm glad you like it!

Sawyer: Coming up, on "Wish You Were Here"

You'll find out what happened on the cruise ship. You'll also see the past connections between Alex and Jack and Alex and Kate. Someone else will find out about the hatch

(I think). There's a twist with the peanuts, and it's not that they'll turn into little cartoons. Danielle may come up in this fic, I still haven't decided.

But I have decided that the next fic will be called "The Impossible" and it will be Boone centric. All I know about it so far is that I'll add in the Sawyer-headace thing, and you'll find out the complete story behind Boone and the car crash, events leading up, the crash, and following it, and I can't wait to write it!

Well, I I let time get away from me! It's almost midnight and I have to wake up at..well..six ten, but still. I got two hours of sleep after school though. Hey, it's called being sick- lol! But the reviews are helping! Thanks so much!

Until next time..

October Sky


	5. Chapter Five

Wish You Were Here

Chapter Five

Author's Note: I'm doing this chapter in two parts. Tonight, you'll get the first with Alex and Jack and all, normal stuff, and tomorrow, unless I'm unable to get on for whatever reason, you'll get her flashback, which will jump back in time from the others, and hopefully some more scenes with Alex, Jack, and Sayid.

Alex coughed as she tried to swallow the sickness feeling she was getting once more. A bucket that they had luckily found in the plane was sitting behind her, and the smell was making her choke.

"That's it," Jack was saying beside her, trying to help her catch her breath.

She, along with Sayid and Jack were standing just outside the medical tent Jack had set up. The sickening smell mixed with the salty air would've made anyone nauseous, but somehow, perhaps because of his formal hospital training(being used to being around sick and gross stuff) Jack was able to stand it. She wasn't sure about Sayid though, and she didn't have time to check before another lump formed in her throat, and she tried to swallow at the formation, which made respiration even harder.

"Just keep breathing through your nose," Jack told her, calm as he could be, "just try and relax."

Jack, of course, had been telling her to try and relax since ten that morning, nearly three hours ago, when she started feeling sick. Sometime between the previous day and future, Sayid had told Jack Alex's secret, which was fine with her, now. She figured hiding in the dark would only lead to more days like this, and more rousing suspicion. In a way, it was kind of a relief to Alex to know that there were people worried about her, even if it was only two.

"Hang in there, all right?" Jack said, taking his hand off her shoulder.

Nodding, she watched as he walked over to talk to Sayid. She wanted to try and listen in on what they were saying, hoping she could catch some sort of hint of what was wrong with her.

(Space)

When Jack reached Sayid, he motioned for Sayid to keep moving, walk and talk.

"Is she going to be all right?" Sayid asked, concerned.

"I think it's only food poisoning," Jack assured, though it wasn't much of a reassurance.

"And that's a good thing?" Sayid asked, his worries not soothed.

"No," Jack admitted, "but it can be treated."

"How?" Sayid said, stopping and crossing his arms.

"She'll just have to take it easy for a few days," Jack glanced over, Sayid following, to where Alex was now seated on the ground, knees propped up and holding her head in her hands, "but that doesn't seem to be much of a problem for her."

They watched her for a moment before Sayid continued.

"But what could she have gotten food poisoning from?" Sayid wondered out loud. "We've been eating the same foods since the first week, and nobody else has gotten sick."

"Then that only leaves one question," Jack said, and Sayid looked at him, "what has Alex eaten that everyone else hasn't?"

Sayid met eyes with Jack, and the answer came to him quicker than lightening.

(Space)

Sawyer trudged up the path to where Sayid and Jack were standing, waiting impatiently by Alex, who was seated on an airline chair somebody had drug out.

"I'm here," Sawyer said, "now what?"

His answer was replied by bag being shove into his chest by Jack. Taking it and shoving off the impact. Looking at the label, Sawyer had to smirk in disbelief.

"Peanuts?" He mused. "You brought me up here for peanuts? That's mighty nice of ya Doc, but I'd have to say, you're losing your-"

He was cut off when Sayid grabbed the bag out of his hand, and began ranting.

"These peanuts are eight years old!" Sayid shouted, shaking the bag in Sawyer's face.

Sawyer swatted it away, taking a step back.

"Yeah?" He said, not really caring. "How was I supposed to know?"

"You look at the date," Jack said, angered himself.

The conversation was interrupted by a rasps of rough coughs from Alex, which seemed to have some kind of affect of sympathy on Sawyer, unexpected by neither Jack nor Sayid.

"Look, I'm sorry," Sawyer said sincerely, "it was an honest mistake."

He looked at the two men.

"But I'm not guessing either one of you would know anything about mistakes."

Though both heard the remark directly, and were both personally affected by it, it was Jack who did something about it, having his own 'history' with Sawyer. Grabbing the collar of Sawyer's shirt, Jack shook him, and was prepared to throw a punch when Sawyer was saved by a loud, helpless, groan by Alex, who had suddenly turned a pale white. Jack put his hand to her forehead, and brought it back, wincing.

"She's burning up, "Jack informed Sayid, "She'll need some help getting to the caves."

On instinct, Sawyer made to move forward and help, but Sawyer stopped him.

"But not from you," Jack said detestably.

Glaring, Sawyer watched as together Jack and Sayid picked up alex, who had either fallen asleep or gone into unconsciousness. Figuring he should save himself the trouble of getting himself into this one, Sawyer turned, and headed back to his camp.

Fluffy the Man Eating Polar Bear(whose really perfectly harmless- except to Sawyer:):

Coming up tomorrow night, on "Wish You Were Here":

Jack recognizes where he's seen Alex before, but she claims to not believe him, and worries about her memory loss until she finds herself having also crossed paths with another castaway. Sayid and Jack tell Alex about Danielle, and they plan to take a little trip to the little gingerbread hut, until something causes them from being able to do so..

Have fun watching 'Deus Ex Machina' tomorrow night! I'll be right along with you! There's no way I'd be able to get this all done tonight, and make it good, without staying up past twelve. Well, I might be able to, but something tells me it'll be better after having another day to think about it. Yall are just such great reviewers, I felt bad about leaving yall hanging. Sorry, not replies to my reviews tonight, but you may get some tomorrow. Thanks again, and sorry for the shortness! Hope you liked!

October Sky


	6. Chapter Six

Wish You Were Here

Chapter Six

Jack and Sayid laid Alex down by the waterfall, arousing suspicion amongst curious survivors and onlookers, including Kate.

"What happened?" Kate said, concerned.

"She fainted," Jack informed, "but she'll be all right."

While Jack dabbed a wet cloth over Alex's sweating forehead, Sayid worked on getting her sneakers off. Bending down, Kate leaned closer to Jack.

"What about the guy with the arm?" Kate whispered. "The one from the plane crash?"

Looking around, Jack made sure that no one except for Kate and Sayid were in earshot, though Sayid acted as though he wasn't listening anyway.

"He shouldn't wake up for another few hours," Jack whispered, "but do you think you can-"

"Yeah," Kate nodded, standing up as she planned to head to the beach.

At that moment, Alex let out another rasp of coughs, and Sayid and Jack sighs of relief. On instinct Alex tried to move, but failed.

"Sit still for a moment," Jack instructed as he and Sayid tried to hold her down as she fought against their grip, until finally giving away, breathing heavily as she lay back down.

"What happened? "Alex muttered weakly.

"You fainted," Jack said, reaching for a bottle of water near him, "here, drink this."

Taking a swallow, the feel of cold liquid startled her, causing haggard coughs to escape her throat as the water seeped out of her mouth. She lay her head back, groaning.

"How do you feel?" Jack asked.

"Like I just tried to run a marathon in my sleep," Alex said, closing her eyes.

"You might feel that way for a while," Jack admitted, "but for now, just rest."

Jack turned to Sayid, who admired the way Jack seemed to be able to take sudden control over situations, never panicking.

"Can you watch her while I go check on-" Jack almost said Kate, but caught himself, "the plane survivor?"

"Yes," Sayid nodded as Jack was already halfway out the exit.

(Space)

Carefully, Kate approached the medical tent, as if afraid something(or someone) might jump out, but as she pulled back the tarp, she realized she had nothing to be afraid of: there was no one there.

(Space)

Jack nearly ran into Kate on the way to the beach, and caught a hold of her before she lost her balance.

"Woah," Jack said, catching her, "in such a hurry to see me?

"We got a problem," Kate said, ignoring that that was the closest Jack had sounded to amused all day.

Back in the tent, Jack looked around in disbelief.

"This isn't possible," he said, shaking his head after checking some footprints on the ground, "he was out could- his arm- there's no way he just could've gotten up and walked out.

"Better question," Kate said, "why would he?"

(Space)

Boone was laying with his back against the tree a path off from the trail to the hatch, twirling a knife in his fingers. Locke had begun asking him to keep guard while he tried different ways of figuring out how to open the hatch, just a precaution to make sure no one accidentally stumbled over their path. That was when he heard the first snap of twigs. Looking around, Boone called out:

"Who's there?"

No answer, which told Boone that this couldn't be good. Tucking the knife into his back belt loop, Boone prepared himself for the attack when he saw a sudden flash of skin and was pinned back against the tree. After blinking, clearing his vision, Boone recognize his attacker as the plane crash survivor.

"Nice to finally get to talk," the man snarled, "name's Marcell. Marcell Travers."

"Nice to meet you," Boone muttered sarcastically, struggling to breathe.

"Now that we've gotten that out of the way," Marcell said, "what did you see?"

Boone stared at him.

"What?" He repeated, truly confused.

"When you found the plane," began Marcell, "what did you see. What did you find?"

"I-" Boone struggled as he tried to gasp for air, "I don't know what your talking about."

"You're lying!" Marcell said, eyes flaring, and pushed Boone further against the tree, causing Boone to feel the thick bark cut into his shirt, scratching his back.

"Boone?"

Locke. Boone wanted to drop to his knees and thank God for small favors. As if able to read his thoughts, Marcell dropped him, but Boone had to concentrate more on breathing then praying, and found it hard to do at the same time.

"Are you all right?" Locke's concerned voice said as he heard it near.

It took a moment for Boone to pull himself together, and to tell his mind that he was back on the ground, safe and okay? Or was he? Quickly, he looked around. Marcell had disappeared.

"Yeah," Boone lied, "I'm fine."

"Who were you talking to?" Locke asked, helping Boone up.

"No one," Boone lied again, "just- no one."

Locke nodded, handing Boone some water, Boone took it, and remembered he had some questions of his own.

"So where were you earlier?" Boone asked. "You were right behind you and then you just- weren't."

"I was-" there was an unreadable flash in Locke's eyes, "delayed."

"Yeah?" Boone said. "Well did you know you were delayed while I was out trapped in the crashed plane, sending out false stress calls?"

"False huh?" Locke said.

"At least according to Sayid," Boone sighed as he followed Locke towards the hatch to see what he had done.

"Well, Sayid doesn't understand some things," Locke said.

"Seems to have a pretty good understanding to me," Boone shrugged truthfully.

"But," Locke said, stopping and looking at Boone seriously, "he doesn't have as good as an understanding as we do, and that's the important thing."

Boone just looked at him, trying to figure out what he meant..

(Space)

Back in the caves, Jack made his way back over to where Sayid had been sitting with Alex. She looked to be asleep, and Sayid looked pretty drawn out himself.

"I got it," Jack told him.

"Are things all right?" Sayid asked.

Jack assumed he was asking about the survivor.

"Yeah," Jack lied, "things are fine. I can take over from here."

Nodding, Sayid stood up, and left as Jack sat sound, unsure of exactly what he was going to do. In an answer to his thoughts, Alex's eyes fluttered open, and she smiled slightly at the sight of him.

"Just can't help yourself, can you?" Alex muttered weakly. "Who are you, Superman?"

It was said sarcastic, but Jack was still taken by it.

"Yep," he said, chuckling to himself, "just give me a funny little cape and powers to fly, and I'll have us out of here in no time."

Alex laughed a little, which soothed Jack, who had grown more and more worried about the girl. He was concerned not only for her health, but her well-being. She had been thrown into a place she didn't know, with people she didn't know, who didn't know each other, but well enough. But that was when Jack realized..he had seen her before. Now remembering, it replayed in his mind quickly.

"What?" Alex said, noting the sudden change in her behavior.

"That's what's wrong with the world today," Jack quoted, grinning, "everyone's a few beers behind."

"Excuse me?" Alex said, staring at Jack like he were mad.

"I've seen you before," Jack said, "at a bar and grill in LA, you worked there."

"Yeah, but how did you know-"

"You waited my table," Jack said, feeling the tadist bit of excitement at this realization, "a few months a go. Some guy was singing-"

"Guys sing there all the time," Alex said, unconvinced, "It's a karaoke bar."

"I know, but-"

Alex hadn't known what Jack had said next. Kate was walking in on the conversation, and after a few moments of searching and recalling no memory of the event, it all came rushing back to her..

"Alex?" She heard Jack ask as she became lost in her thoughts..

_She hated Fridays. It was the busiest night, full of horrible American Idol wannabes and drunken losers. And as some guy who, surprisingly, was actually good, began singing "Goodbye Yellow Brick Road" Alex noticed one particular loser sitting alone at a table in the midst of dates and friends._

_"You're order, Sir?" She asked, approaching him._

_The man just shook his head, pulling himself away from his thoughts._

_"Just a beer," he said, looking down._

_Yep, this guy had no life- or had lost one._

_"You sure?" She joked, checking her watch. "It's not even sixteen passed six."_

_The man glared up at her, silencing the waitress, and she was thrown for a loop at his glare that told everything his was feeling- exhaustion, pain, and hurt, something she rarely saw in costumers, and when she did, it was due to the achohol._

_"All right, all right," Alex muttered, and Jack turned his chair down as she wrote that down. "Anything else?"_

_The man simply shook his head as the waitress sighed._

"_That's what's wrong with the world today," she said, tearing the page of her tablet and throwing it onto Jack's table, "everyone's a few beers behind."_

_"So I'm guessing you don't drink?" He said, picking up the ball of paper as he began fingering it._

_She laughed._

_"Are you serious?" Alex said. "You're lucky I even got your table, no one else even noticed you were here. Truthfully, I'm supposed to be managing of the karaoke, but-" she glanced over towards the man still singing, "-it looks like they've got that under control."_

_Alex was giving the man's order to a bartender when she heard a door slam, and turning, she realized her costumers table was empty. She had no time to ponder this, as the door flew opened just moments later, and three men in black suites and mask stormed in. _

_"Everyone down!" One man shouted, and the costumers obeyed, quiet. "Down, on the ground!"_

_Wasting no time, the main guy marched up to the cash register, knocking Alex to the side, and grabbing the bartender's collar. She felt her head knock softly against the bar as she heard the man scream:_

_"The money! All of it, now!" Turning, the man gave an order to one of his fellow robbers. "Hey, Chrissy, over here!"_

_It took a moment for Chrissy to register what she was ordered, but quickly obeyed as the man in charge glared. Shoving a gun from his back pocket, the man said: "Keep an eye on her." The moment Alex realized he meant her, she felt her insides squeeze together, frozen, as the woman took the gun, shaking, and held it on her. Alex could see in her eyes that Chrissy didn't like what she was doing, and had no intention of shooting, until she heard a punch being delivered to the bartender, who was flung back against a row of glasses. She covered herself as glass flew everywhere, but Chrissy didn't even flinch. _

_She wasn't sure what happened next, but knew it came in a wave of mishaps. The man must've been threatening the bartender, because Chrissy shook as the third guy remained calm, observing the scene, guarding the door. Hearing nothing except jumbled yelling and cursing, and the occasional scream, the only sound she could make out clearly was a gunshot. But it wasn't right, she thought, because it felt like it was Alex herself who had received it. She felt cold and solid, though at the same time like she was melting away. It wasn't until she looked down and horror and saw her blood-covered shoulder that she had realized what had happened, and tried to bring herself to her senses as Chrissy was bent down in front of her, panicking, asking her if she was all right and yelling for someone to call 911. But that wasn't what Alex was concentrating on. She was concentrating on who the woman was that hurt her- the brown hair, brown eyes, that looked in both concern in horror-_

And Alex recognized that same look now. In Kate.

Author's Note: The site was down last night, so I couldn't update. I'm so sorry, and I was so mad- stayed up until midnight writing this! I have a question for you, in next fic, which should it be, Shannon and Sayid searching for the missing Boone, or Boone and Sayid searching for the missing Shannon? Thanks for all the reviews, and hope you liked it!

October Sky


	7. Chapter Seven

Wish You Were Here

Chapter Seven

Alex was confused. For the first time in her life, she didn't know what to believe, who to believe, or who to fear. She knew perfectly well what Kate, if that was really even her name, had done to her. But had Jack known? What would he think? She had seen him with Kate multiple times, and their relationship was indescribable. It was mutual dependent, always there for each other, always caring, something rarely seen in the world today. But what would it be like now? Maybe, she thought, if she was lucky, Kate wouldn't even remember her, and nobody would notice a thing, especially not the fact that the gash on her shoulder wasn't from the crash. But she was never lucky.

"I'm glad to see one of our patients is looking better," Sayid said for the other, "though it would've been much easier if the other hadn't run off and left us."

She wasn't sure if he meant her or not, but didn't push the question, only stood there, letting her silence tears fall until Sayid realized what she was doing.

"What's wrong?" Sayid asked, implicated.

"Nothing," Alex said, shaking her head and swiping her arm at her wet eyes, "I was just wrong about somethings, that's all."

"Would it help to talk about it?" Sayid asked, realizing that this reminded him an awful lot of some of his conversations with Shannon.

"No," Alex said, taking one final swipe to her eyes, and then to the ground, and said in a soft, unsure voice, "I'm fine."

Turning, Alex walked away from the beach, into the jungle, feeling as though she was going to be sick again. She had starting whistling without even knowing that she had begun, but it didn't pass Sayid.

"That song?" Sayid called from behind her. "What is it?"

By the time Alex had finished debating with herself, Sayid had already caught up to her. Casually, she continued walking into the jungle.

"Oh, it's just this stupid song my boyfriend used to sing," she shook her head, corrupting herself, "well, my dad, but when Adam found out about the song, he decided it would be a cute joke if he started singing it one day-" she sighed in memory, "let me tell you, it wasn't."

Sayid chuckled a little at the comment, and said, "Would you mind singing it for me?"

Alex looked at him for the first time.

"I don't sing," she said plainly.

"I don't mind," Sayid replied back.

"I warned you," Alex sighed, and then began to sing:

"Somewhere beyond the sea

Somewhere waiting for me

My lover stands on golden sands

And watches the ships that go sailing"

She was stopped suddenly, turned around by Sayid's hand on her shoulder. Wincing, she wondered why it always had to be her left.

"What was that?" Sayid asked urgently. "That song, what was it?"

"Um.." Alex searched her memory bank, "'Somewhere Beyond the Sea'. I don't know who it was by though-"

"Where did you say you heard it again?" Sayid said in a rush that scared her.

"My dad used to sing it to me when I was little," Alex said, feeling a little uncomfortable.

"Sixteen years ago, correct?" Sayid said.

"I guess," Alex shrugged, "he said it used to be the only thing that would get me to sleep, but what does this have to do with-"

But Sayid had already taken off running.

_Alex woke up to massive whiteness and her head spun at the sound of a machine buzzing. Groaning, she tried to roll over, but found herself unable to, her left arm locked in an IV with a heavy bandage on her shoulder, and her chest felt heavy. She brought her right arm forward from being wrapped around her head, and strained to hear the faint noise she noticed above the humming-_

_"Somewhere, beyond the sea," sang a voice, "somewhere, waiting for me- da da da da da da da.."_

_Smiling to herself, Alex knew who it was. Adam._

_"You're singing it wrong," she complained playfully as she cocked her head to get a better view of him._

_Somehow Adam had managed to get the nurses to let him sit and wait in the room, and he was now sitting in a chair opposite her, resting his elbows on his knees. He was wearing lose close, tattered jeans, and old black jacket, and white t-shirt._

_"You look like on of those greasers from The Outsiders," Alex commented lightly, recalling a book that she had read in the sixth grade and had afterward watched the movie..or was it the other way around? _

_"Well we already live like them," Adam said, meaning for it to be a joke, but it didn't work out as one, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"_

_"It's all right, "Alex said just over a whisper, and leaned her head back into the pillows, "our lives suck."_

_As she said it, she winced as she put too much pressure on her right shoulder._

_"Well that's all going to change," Adam said, standing, his mood suddenly brightening._

_"Oh really?" Alex said, wondering how many times she had heard that one in her life. "And just how are you going to do that?"_

_"I'm moving us to New York," Adam said proudly, smiling._

_"Yeah?" Alex said. "And how are you planning on doing that- if you've forgotten, I'm only sixteen?"_

_"Remember your Uncle Arnie who came down a few Christmases ago?" Adam asked._

_"The grave digger?" Alex recalled._

_"Yeah, him," Adam said as he begun to pace the room, "he got this amazing apartment in Manhattan along with a job at a recording studio. And he agreed to take you in."_

_"You're kidding?" She would give anything to get away from the foster mother she lived with, who did no more for her but to leave the microwave plugged at night._

_"I told him about out music," Adam continued, "and he said that he might be able to get us a recording deal."_

_"You're serious?" Alex said as Adam crossed over to her, and took her hand._

_"This is real, he said, cupping his hand in hers, "this might be our chance- your chance, to make it."_

_"But how do I know he even wants to take care of me?" Alex said, thinking this was all to good to be true._

_They had tried dozens of times to get at least one of the pair a record deal, but had failed. Now going to New York, moving so suddenly- it all seemed so unreal to her._

_"He says that he owes your father the favor," Adam said, "after-"_

_He trailed off before saying 'what happened' but Alex knew what he was about to say, and Adam could see the guilt in her eyes._

_"It wasn't your fault," he said softly, looking into her eyes, pleading for her to believe it._

_"I know," Alex lied, and sighed, leaning back into the pillows._

_The two were quiet a moment. Adam wanted to get her true feelings out of her, but wasn't sure how. _

_"So this is real?" Alex asked again, interrupting the moment._

_"Yeah," Adam said, smiling at her, "it's real."_

Author's Note: Sorry again for the shortness. They got long there for a while, didn't they? Or at least longer than usual, anyway. I'll try and write the second part tonight, and I'll, hopefully, have all tomorrow afternoon and night to write. Who knows, I might even get this done this weekend. Moving fast, aren't I? Don't worry, Charlie and Claire will be back, and so will Charlie's song- one that I wrote, by the way! Yes, I'm a songwriter- most of them suck- but I do write them! Must've written over sixty, but that's enough about that. And I've decided it'll be Sayid and Boone looking for Shannon next fic. Thanks for all the help with that! Oh, and disclaimers next chapter!

Crazyhorsegirl88: How is it that I can always guess what you'll say in reviews? Lol! Yeah, there's just so much more possibilities with Sayid/Boone than Sayid/Shannon. All I can see there is the meds thing and Sayid asking, "So why is that the you care about your brother so much?"

Thanks to ALL my reviewers! Even the new ones, who I hope aren't confused!

Coming up: A trip to Danielle gets delayed by old twenty-eyed in the jungle.

October Sky


	8. Chapter Eight

Wish You Were Here

Chapter Eight

Song Disclaimers: "Somewhere Beyond the Sea" was written by Charles Trenet and Jack Lawrence, and performed by Bobby Darin. "Moondance" from what I found, was written by Van Morrison. I think(I don't speak French, so don't know exactly) that "La Mer" was also written by Charles Trenet. Spooky, huh?

"Hey," Shannon greeted as she spotted Sayid rushing into the caves, "haven't seen you around here in a- while-"

She stopped when Sayid began leafing through the French notes, searching for something, and cursed in Arabic.

"What are you doing?" Shannon asked, moving as Sayid began searching another stash that Shannon had been studying just moments before.

"That song," Sayid said pressingly, "that song that you've been singing? The French one from the movie?"

"'La Mer'?" Shannon asked, puzzled.

"What does it mean?" Sayid asked. "What are the lyrics? In English, what are the lyrics?"

"I translated them for you," Shannon reminded him.

"Are you sure you translated them right?" Sayid asked, sounding humorous at making such a small thing sound so serious.

"As well as I could," Shannon said, watching him, "why? What's going on?"

"There's another song," Sayid explained, "an English song-"

"Somewhere Beyond the Sea?"

Turning, Shannon and Sayid found themselves staring at Michael, who had apparently been listening into there conversation from where he was stocking up on water bottles for the thirsty construction workers at the beach.

"How did you know?" Sayid asked, curiously.

"It goes to the same tune as that French song," Michael said, "I don't remember who sang it- Bobby Darin, maybe?"

Sayid, not having much experience with American music, ignored the last part, and, instead, bolted out of the caves.

(Space)

_Alex sighed as she sprayed more polish on the wooden tables. It was a boring job, really, waiting tables, but then again, parts of it were interesting, like when she was forced to listen into others conversations-_

_"Yes, they say the plane disappeared a few weeks ago," one woman in a turquoise dress, "it's a shame, really."_

_"All those innocent passengers," chimed in a woman wearing a black dress suite, "what do you suppose happened?"_

_"I don't know," turquoise said, shaking her head, "but I do hope they find them soon. I have a friend who's son was on the plane, a doctor. She's drowned herself in depression and guilt, sent him to Australia to find his father."_

_"And did you hear about the convict?" Said suite._

_"The one from the bank robbery in New Mexico?"_

_"And a dozen other things."_

_Sighing again, Alex placed dirtied forks and spoons into a bucket to be watched. Sure she felt sorry for the missing passengers and their family and friends, but it was all that had been on the news for the past month. Rescue had stopped until further notice, and the only proof that Oceanic Flight 815 even existed was the airline's word and the last words of the pilot before the transceiver cut off, "I don't understand what's wrong". No one had known what had caused the plane to go the slightest bit off course- it had passed the inspection test twice before takeoff and the pilot was well-qualified, but whatever the cause, she was tired of hearing about it. A woman with red hair in a fur coat nearby gave a small sob, and just as Alex was about to ask if she could get her anything, a melody rang through the air in a bouncy, jazz tone:_

_"Well, it's a marvelous night for a moon dance_

_With the stars up above in your eyes_

_A fantabulous night to make romance_

_'neath the cover of october skies"_

_She had to laugh a little at her boyfriend's singing. His voice wasn't meant for jazz, but when asked to sing the ship's theme, Adam(the night's entertainment) couldn't back down._

_"And all the leaves on the trees are falling_

_To the sound of the breezes that blow_

_And I'm trying to please to the calling_

_Of your heart-strings that play soft and low"_

_In truth, Alex loved the song, "Moondance" beautiful melody, beautiful lyrics. Shaking her head, Alex forced herself to go back to work and walked over to the woman crying._

_"Excuse me 'mam," Alex said kindly, "is there anything I can-"_

_She knew the woman had looked up, but the sudden change in Adam's pitch drew her mind further away._

_"And all the night's magic seems to whisper and hush_

_And all the soft moonlight seems to shine in your blush_

_Can I just have one a' more moon dance with you, my love_

_Can I just make some more romance with a-you, my love"_

_But as Adam said the last few lines, he met her eye, and winked. Not knowing what that wink meant scared her- was he just making unspoken conversation? Or did he mean more- want more? Or was he trying to remind her of-_

_"Miss?" The woman was saying. "Miss, are you all right?"_

_Snapping out of her thoughts, Alex nodded, trying to pull herself together. The wink meant nothing, she decided, it was just that- a wink._

Alex found herself standing on the seashore, just a few yards away from the crashing waves, that tried, but didn't succeed, in overtaking her thoughts.

_Alex's eye snapped open to darkness. Groaning, she rolled over, and immediately knew that something was wrong. Her head felt heavy and she was sure she was going to be sick, and she was- moving? That couldn't be right. But she had no time to ponder that, because screams suddenly filled the night air. Rolling over and propping herself up with her elbow, Alex ran her hand through her hair, and took in her surroundings. She was in a dark room, laying on the bed, where someone had managed to cover her with the sheets. And the room was moving. _

_That's what bothered her the most, even more than the screams for help she was hearing from behind the door on the far side of the room, and the feet she saw skimper across the floorboards through the light that shined underneath, giving her enough light to notice that a phone lay on the night stand beside her, hotel room style. Panicked, she glanced from the phone to the door, phone to the door, contemplating on what to do._

_Finally making up her mind, Alex swung her legs over the side of her bed, groaning as she realized that wouldn't be as easy as she had thought. Her legs felt numb..just like.._

_"You drugged me!" Alex hissed as she threw open the door of the_ Moondance's suite- room 234, running into Adam, who was rushing by her, dressed in black jeans and a sweatshirt.

"You know you couldn't of-" Adam began desperately.

"Gone along with it?_" Alex finished, corybantic. "I would've gone along with it!"_

_"Look, you're just slowing things down!" Adam said, not realizing how crude he sounded._

_"Slowly you down?" Alex repeated following him. "I though you trusted me!"_

_Alex fought back the tears that forced there way through her soft, brown eyes._

_"I trusted you!" She shouted as Adam picked up his pace, trying to block her out. "I loved you!"_

_That made him stop._

_"Loved me?" Adam said. "Is this what you think this is? Some kind of romantic, fairytale relationship?"_

_"Well.." Alex couldn't contradict herself, "yeah. That's what you said-"_

_"We're trying to survive here," Adam said, stepping closer, "trying to make it in this world. Me looking out for you, you looking out for me. That is what this-" he pointed to himself and then to her, "is."_

_He turned around, and fought a crowd of people to the basement door, and Alex watched him go as tears slowly made their way down her cheeks._

Watching the waves crash was somehow different from this area than the one she always was in on the beach camp. Here it was more peaceful, but yet, in the same way, forceful, like the scenery was trying to make her do something, or overcome something. She felt connected to it somehow, like she knew it, personally. Observing the sand beneath her, and the ragged rocks, she began to wonder- maybe she did.

_Alex leaned against the side of the Moondance, staring into the deep navy blue lit waters underneath, studying the reflection of the girl she didn't know looking back at her. She was able to remain calm in the mist of the hectic going-ons. Apparently one of Adam's fellow robbers had fired a gun in the dinning hall sometime around eight-fifteen. Havoc erupted amongst the vacationers on board, but after a thurrow search only an half an hour later, the captain concluded that the robbers had escaped, finding no more signs of them. Of course not, they were all in the cargo. Lost in the night's events- from the conversations earlier to waking up, drugged, to her recent talk with Adam- she found that she had the strength to do nothing more than to cry, frozen against the coal railing of the ship. Leaning further into the side, she could ignore the footsteps approaching behind her, but not the voice._

_"Jem's ready to go," came Adam's voice from behind her, "they jumped onto their ship sometime around nine. It's a miracle they weren't seen."_

_Finding herself not able to answer, Alex just listened as she remained clinging to the railing._

_"They're coming back in a few minutes," Adam said quietly, "if you still want to come."_

_"Why can't you just take the cruise back to New England?" Alex found herself asking. "And meet them there?"_

_"Because-"_

_"What's that?" She heard a voice demand from inside as a motorboat came spinning into view._

_"Dammit," Adam muttered._

_"What?" She asked, frantic. "What's wrong? What's happening?"_

_"They're early!" Adam said, angered as he turned Alex around. "You'll have to jump."_

_She looked down below at the the boat that rested beneath them. The jump had to be at least fifteen feet, and the fact that she was wearing a dress wasn't what scared her._

_"Are you insane?" Alex said. "I can't- I'm not-"_

_"Who's out there?" The voice shouted._

_"Just- go!" Adam hissed into her ear._

_Alex scurried to lift herself onto the railing, and sat a moment, trying to catch her breath(and a last prayer) before she did what she knew she had to do._

_"Jump!" Adam yelled from behind her, and she felt nothing but the thick night's air push her down until her hand banged hard against the side of the boat, her body completely missing it as she sunk into the water._

_The world faded into blackness, and she heard nothing except the sound of Adam cursing and another crashing wave, as she fell into unconsciousness._

Alex was almost in complete tears when she forced herself to turn away from the scene, and run back into the jungle. Vision blurry, she hadn't seen that she had taken the wrong path, and didn't see it until something banged against her forehead, knocking her back. Rubbing the place where it hit, Alex stepped back to get a look at whatever the thing was, and her hear skipped a beat and breath stopped when she did-

In front of her dangled three dead bodies, hanging from a noose tied with thick rope on a tree of bamboo. Startled, Alex gave a gasp, but then something caught her eye- the man hanging in the middle- barely a week dead- was wearing torn black jeans, and a ripped black sweatshirt. She recognized those clothes- those were Adam's clothes. And the two other men grew familiar by the second- Adam's crew. She stumbled back into a tree, and wasn't able to stare at the dead bodies any longer. Instead, she curled and turned, holding her arm against the tree and cried into it.

(Space)

"I thought you didn't want to go back to Danielle's," Jack pointed out after listening to what Sayid had to say about all the coincidental past connections.

"I don't," Sayid admitted, "and especially not after what happened with Hurley and the battery."

"Then what's your point?" Jack asked after chuckling a little at the memory.

"I was hoping maybe you would be willing to take her," Sayid said as he held back, waiting for Jack's protest.

But all Jack said was, "Why me?"

"You've gotten to know her," Sayid said, "and you have a connection with her. She understands you."

"I've only known her for two or three days," Jack elicited, "and she's only sixteen, we don't know how well she'll be able to- what was that?"

The bushes to their side rustled, and Jack and Sayid stepped back, and waited to meet- Alex. She had her arms wrapped around herself and was shaking, but from being afraid or cold, neither Jack nor Sayid could tell.

"Alex?" Jack began slowly. "Alex, what's wrong?"

Alex didn't answer them as she remained standing there, shaking.

Author's Note: Okay, I hope I didn't give you guys a major headache that chaper. If your confussed, just ask! I was going to make this one the last, but it would've been way to long, and I figured that was a good stopping point. Sorry for the rush in this chapter, but the flashbacks had to happen sometime. Also sorry for not updating last night, I spent nearly all day at the doctor's, and was exhausted. I actually got more than six hours of sleep! In fact, I got twice as much! Lol, I think I've picked up Jack's sleeping habits. From what I saw, though, the site wasn't even up last night. I hope you all came back, and thanks for the reviews!

Coming up: A freaked out Alex tries tells Jack and Sayid what she found, and when Jack finally agrees to take her to Danielle, things don't get much better.

Next chapter or next, next chapter: Kate tries to patch things up between her and Alex, and one last scene between Jack and Sawyer- where Sawyer's actually human. It's kind of neccessary for next fic, where Jack has to be able to be around Sawyer without wanting to kill him- or at least only part of Jack wanting to kill him.

Next fic: "The Impossible"

The tension between Sayid and Boone is no help when Shannon goes missing, which apears to Boone as being Sayid's faults, and Kate worries when Sawyer starts developing mysterious headaches, and only she wants Jack to help him.

Okay, few questions for good health:

1. How many of you heard, "No, we're the survivors of Oceanic Fligh 8-1-5" on the transiever? I know I did.

2. Which do you think Sawyer will end up with next ep? Kate and Claire? Or Jack and Boone? I personally hope he's ends up with Jack, because with Kate with Claire, someone will need to be there with Jack, and(besides Kate) I don't think anybody would be able to throw the reality of 'you've got to do this' in Jack's face better than Sawyer. Or maybe I've read to much fanfic- lol.

And for my fic-

What kind of obsticles would you want me to throw at Boone and Sayid next fic? Everything I think of is repeating. Help!

Thanks again for the reviews and as always, you guys are the best!

October Sky


	9. Chapter Nine

Wish You Were Here

Chapter Nine

Alex allowed Jack and Sayid to help her to the caves, where they led her to some cussions Jack had laid in a line for any sick castaways. On the way, they met Kate, who automatically looked to the group in concern.

"What happened?" She asked as she caught up to Jack.

"We don't know," Jack told her as he and Sayid sat Alex down.

"What do you mean-"

"Sh!" Jack hissed as he turned back to Alex.

Kate only took offense for a moment, seeing that Alex may be hurt, but Jack didn't even get a chance to ask before Sayid jumped into his own interrogation.

"Did you find something?" Sayid asked.

Alex didn't answer him, just continued shaking inside the lightweight jacket that Jack had found for her.

"See anything?" Sayid continued.

No response.

"Was it something-"

"Sayid," Jack said, cutting him off.

Sayid looked at him, and held himself back from telling Jack off, and let Jack do his work.

"Are you hurt?" Jack began.

Alex just continued staring at the ground, shivering as she held herself.

"Did you fall?" Jack asked, and was about to let out a scream of frustration when he got the same response, until Kate saw this, and stopped him.

"Jack-" she said softly, touching his arm.

Jack nodded, pulling himself together.

"Can you tell us- anything?" Jack ask, praying for a response of any kind.

Alex sat quietly again, shaking slightly back and forth, and Jack was about to try again, when-

"It killed them," Alex said in a soft, cold, voice, full of fear.

She looked down as she said it, her voice cracking, embarrassed by her fear in front of these three who had been able to handle so much.

"It- it killed them all," she finished, distant as her arms shook.

Kate watched as Jack and Sayid exchanged glances, and knew exactly what each of them were thinking: the French transmission.

"What killed them?" Jack asked as all three of them tried to show no obvious signs of recognition.

Whether it was because Alex didn't hear them, didn't want to answer, none of them knew as Alex continued.

"They were just- hanging there," Alex recalled in pained memory, acting out the hanging bodies with her hand, "just..hanging- dead."

"Who?" Sayid asked, beating Jack. "Who did you find? Who was dead?"

"Adam," Alex croaked at last, "and the others- it- it killed them."

"What killed them?" Jack asked.

"The monster," Alex said, looking at them, her eyes distant, afraid, and hollow.

Jack sighed in relief, and Kate did as well, just not to drastic. Sayid just looked at them, wandering what was so relieving.

"Okay, Alex?" Jack began his face lighting up a little. "What you saw, wasn't real. It was just- a dream, a hallucination. It was only as real as your mind wanted it to be."

Alex stared at him, but not in disbelief or confusion, but like he had just betrayed her. Jack tried to understand this, remembering how confused he was when he saw the man sitting beside him dead, washed up on some riverside, only to find out a while later that Sayid had even left the camp in a few hours. But something about that stare startled him, and he realized, for the first time, that he was dealing with a teenager, something that he had to admit made him slightly nervous.

"I saw him dead!" Alex said, her voice rising.

"You said you saw them hung-" Jack began.

"But the monster!" Alex said. "That thing everyone keeps talking about!"

"There's nothing out there," Jack reassured, "there's nothing here except-"

He felt Sayid's glance, and met eyes with him. As if on cue, both stood at the same time, Alex watching as they stepped aside to talk. Kate glanced at Alex, and felt sorry for her. She looked so hopeless, sitting there, having no idea of what was going on. She offered Alex a small, half of a smile, but the way Alex looked back at her sent shivers up her spine. Trying to ignore the look of loathe and hatred, Kate walked over to Jack and Sayid, who were deep in conversation.

"What's going on?" Kate demanded, feeling that she was being left out of something that she should've been very much apart of.

"Sayid wants me to take Alex to see Danielle," Jack told her with no hesitation.

"What?" Kate said. "Isn't that dangerous? Especially now?"

"If there's one thing this girl believes in it's fate," Sayid began, "what are the odds of her landing on the same island as Danielle?"

"But we don't even know for sure if Alex is her child," Kate pointed out.

"Apparently," Jack glanced at Sayid, "that's what we're supposed to be figuring out."

Sayid gave him a look of doubt, and tried to show Jack how important this might be.

"Look, I'm not saying I won't go," Jack said, "I'm just not sure that this is a good idea. We're not sure how physically capable she is, and whatever it was she just went through-"

"I can hear every word your saying," Alex said from behind them, in as much of a normal tone as she could muster.

Sayid, Jack, and Kate turned in surprised, and both Kate and Jack looked at Jack for a good lie.

"Look, Alex-"

"Don't," Alex said, standing up, and stopping him, "I don't know what just happened. Maybe I'm just having a hard time accepting reality. Maybe i'm just seeing things. But whatever it is, i don't want to have it hovering over my head for however long it is we'll be here. So whatever it is that you guys want me to do- I'll do it."

Sayid looked at Alex in admiration, giving the girl some credit for what she had just said. She had just been mixed in with a group of people that knew each other well enough to survive, where half of them didn't trust her and half of them were afraid of her, but she didn't seem to let that bother her at all. Kate and Jack gave the same looks, and there was a moment of silence before she decided that this probably should be left up to Jack and Sayid.

"I'm going to go back down to the beach," she told them, and left.

Jack turned back to Alex after he watched Kate go.

"There are somethings about this island that we haven't told you," Jack said in a low voice, hoping to keep their conversation away from any stray ears.

"From what it looks like there's a lot of things you haven't told me," Alex said, and then let Jack continued.

"There's at least one other person on this island that we know about," Jack said, deciding to leave Ethan's story for another day.

Alex stared at him, waiting for Jack to continue.

"A French woman," Jack said in a single breath, "Danielle."

Jack looked for any sign of recognition in Alex's eyes, but couldn't find any.

"She lives on the other side of the island," Jack continued.

"What does she have to do with me?" Alex cut in, confused.

Jack looked at Sayid for an answer, and to his dismay, only received the look returned to him.

"She's been here for sixteen years," Jack went on, "when her ship crashed here. A few weeks ago, when Sayid left, he stepped in one of her traps, and she kidnapped him-" Jack glanced at Sayid for any signs of him wanting Jack to stop- "and tortured him. She didn't tell him much, but she did keep asking one question over and over again."

"What?" Alex asked, intrigued.

Jack opened his mouth to speak, but this time, Sayid answered.

"'Where is Alex'?" Sayid quoted, remembering the event all too well.

Alex caught her breath in her throat, and had to swallow to avoid developing a lump.

"Who was Alex?" Alex inquired, trying not to start shaking again.

""Her child," Sayid answered, simply.

"My mother died in a car crash," Alex protested, immediately seeing where they were getting at.

"Danielle's last name was Rousseau," Jack said, "does that ring any bells?"

Not answering, Alex just stood in shock. That wasn't possible, she though. Her mother died in a car crash, not a ship- ships. She suddenly remembered herself as a child, loving ships though she lived in Canada most of her life, where it was too cold for any child to step near a dock. And even as he told her her father, Ramone, seemed unsure of his story.

"I'll go get my things," Sayid said when Alex never answered.

"I thought you didn't want to go," Jack said.

"I get the feeling that Danielle will need a little more convincing this time," Sayid said, "and if I recall correctly, it was you who spent an hour walking in the same circle, looking for Charlie and Claire."

Jack laughed a little, leaving Alex once again in the dark. Who were Charlie and Claire and why were they looking for them?

"All right," Jack agreed, "we'll leave in fifteen, I've got to settle some things around here first.

He turned to Alex.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked her, seriously. "You don't have to- it's a long hike."

"Trust me," Alex said, "I'm used to long hikes then."

"Good, then go find a pack and get some water," Jack said, and then remembered the food issue, "and you might want to grab some fruit while you're at it."

Alex turned, but Jack grabbed her arm, stopping her.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Jack asked, deeply concerned at her current well-being.

"I'm fine," Alex assured, and turned, heading to the waterfall.

(Space)

Alex found herself heading down the same path she had just been to, but didn't complain as she listened to Jack and Sayid talked.

"So how's Claire?" Sayid asked out of boredom.

"She's doing fine," Jack replied, "she should be due any day."

_Oh,_ she thought, _so that was Claire._

"I'm guessing Charlie's nervous," Sayid said, amused.

"Let's just say I wouldn't want to be in his shoes right now," Jack chuckled.

Out of nowhere, a loud roar, the sound of grinding metal against metal, erupted in the air. It reminded Alex of the sound of something brushing against rocks, but something much more powerful than a wave.

"What was that?" Alex asked, frightened, remembering the monster.

"What was what?" Jack asked, turning as she heard it again.

Her eyes widened she heard whatever it was come right towards her, and she turned and began running, completely oblivious to the fact that the other two were watching after her in worry, having heard nothing but the sound of birds chirping and distant waves crashing.

_Alex leaned against the side of the nameless motorboat as the sun hid itself behind the clouds, bringing relief to her stinging eyes. _

_"Hey there," Adam said, walking up from behind her._

_She didn't answer him. She wanted to, but found herself unable to. All night Alex stared into the ocean, something she found herself prone to doing whenever she was near any type of body of water. She supposed it was because water was lifeless, no better than you, no worse than you. Water couldn't shove your flaws in your face, or prove you wrong, it only gave you something to get lost in, without the consequences._

_"So you're not talking to, me," Adam said, nodding, "all right, I get it._

_"Adam-"_

_But suddenly it seemed as though Adam had to get everything out just then_

_"Look, about last night-"_

_"I forgive you," Alex said, shocking herself as she did so._

_"You what?" Adam said, as shocked as she. "You've been standing here all day and all night thinking that you wanted to forgive me?"_

_Alex didn't answer, only looked down in shame and regret. No, that wasn't what she had been thinking about. She had been thinking that when she got back to New York, she'd leave him. Forever. Or at least for a while. Sort her mind out, try and figure out if this was what she really wanted to do with her life. But she hadn't been able to say it._

_"Has anyone ever told you that you're really vulnerable?" Adam asked her, smiling._

_She tried to smile back, and Adam let it slide that we couldn't._

_"We'll sort this out when we get home," Adam said, "I'll talk things over with your uncle, and maybe we'll spend the afternoon together sometime, and just sort things out."_

_Alex looked at him doubtfully._

_"It's on me," Adam said hopefully, with a geeky grin, "would you like that?"_

_She looked down, and looked up at him again._

_"I'd love that," she said, finally bringing herself to smile._

_And suddenly, she was the luckiest girl in the world. There was nothing more she wanted than to be standing right here, at this exact moment as the sun wavered between the clouds and blue oblivion. One thing let to the next, and the next thing Alex knew, her arms were slipping around his black sweatshirt, wrenched in dampness, and his arms over her stiff neck as she suddenly felt much older than sixteen, and knew that she could take anything thrown her way, because right now- she stopped, right before her lips reached his._

_"What?" Adam asked, taking a small, half-step back. "Something wrong?"_

_"No," Alex said, shaking her head and then looked up at him, offering another small smile, "everything perfect. Absolutely perfect."_

_And she leaned forward, kissing him. Just like in her dream._

Author's Notes: Wow! Two in one night! Stupid daylight savings time, because it's now four in the morning. Sorry for all of you awaiting a big twist for Alex. I did have one where they were going to find a photo of her with a science time on that island in the forties, but I didn't want to get too scientific, and I kept confusing myself. So I settled with fate, sense that's what Alex believed so strongly in anyway. Thanks for the reviews I got last chapter(wow! Four already!) and hope you enjoyed it!

Until next time..

October Sky


	10. Chapter Ten

Wish You Were Here

Chapter Ten

Claimer:

Author's Note: This really should've been at the end of chapter nine. Just letting you know for the sake of confusion.

_But the kiss didn't last as long as Alex had hoped. The boat gave a rough rock, causing Adam to bit down on her lip. She tore away and pain, and Adam leaned over and shouted:_

_"What the hell was that for, Travis?"_

_When no answer came, Adam turned, moving toward the front of the ship._

_"Travis?" Adam repeated, this time in worry._

_Adam slowly approached the front of the ship, Alex following, wiping the blood from her lip as she did. They turned the corner towards the main part of the ship, and both stopped in horror of what they saw. Both Travis and his right hand man, Jem, were gone- completely. Water drenched the ship in a small pool of blood._

_"Oh God," Alex murmured, feeling sickness developing in her stomach._

_"What the hell?" Adam said to himself as he stepped forward, but was stopped by another jerk, and Alex was thrown to the side, her head hitting the cool interior of the boat, and she felt blood drip down her forehead as her boyfriend shouted her name from the other side, as she slipped into darkness._

However, what Alex was seeing now was nothing compared to the pool of blood. She was on the same shoreline as before, but this time, she wasn't alone. She was staring at a body that had washed up on shore, clothes torn in a mixture of blood and salt. Unable to move, Alex just stood and watched, as she realized she recognized the body, but no..that was impossible.

"Sayid I found her!" Alex heard Jack yelled from somewhere behind her.

She felt Jack's calm hands touch her shoulder, forcing her to face him.

"Are you all right?" He asked her for what seemed to her like the dozenth time that day, but Jack hadn't seemed to mind at all.

"Yeah, I'm fine," Alex said in a forced whisper.

Jack knew she was lying, but also knew there was nothing he could do about it here, so he held on to her as he led her once more back to camp.

Alex had been laying in the darkness for what must've been five minutes, listening to the sound of crashing waves and the calling of what sounded like very distant seagulls. Something soft brushed underneath her back, and she knew she was holding something as Alex groaned, trying to move, and finally gave up, resulting in trying to open an eye. After three tries, she was able to, and had to blink away the blood before she saw what she was holding: A single, human hand.

"Alex!"

Alex was beginning to hate her name. It was all she had been hearing for the passed few hours. Jack coming up behind her every few minutes, making sure she was still all right, and handing her water and small amounts of aspirin, assuming that she was in pain. Behind her, she could hear the gossip of other survivors. Apparently Sayid had never returned, and she begun to worry about him, remembering whatever it was that had come towards her in the jungle. Now she sat at her usual spot on the beach, figuring that she was safe.

"Alex!" Kate called again.

Great, Kate. The last person she wanted to talk to. She wasn't even sure if Kate had remembered what she had done, but wasn't about to press it, fearing that she was the only person who knew something of Kate's past, and not sure what the results of that would be. Especially with Kate and Jack. That was something that she never wanted to ruin. She turned her head to see Kate walking towards her.

"I wanted to talk to you," Kate said, her tone a little to motherly for Alex.

Kate stood behind Alex for a moment, obviously waiting for a response.

"Can I sit down?" She asked when she didn't get one.

"Sure," Alex said, "it's not my beach."

Sitting down, Kate tried to observe Alex's current state, like Jack would, before jumping into a conversation. But despite the days events, Alex seemed perfectly fine. Of course, Kate herself had put on that act before.

"What is it that you have against me?" Kate asked, cutting to the chase.

Alex turned and looked at Kate.

"You don't remember?" She asked in disbelief, not receiving an answer. "You shot me."

"What?" Kate asked, her mind taking a toll. "I- what?"

"A few months ago," Alex said, "at this bar and grill. I think Jack was there too."

Kate caught her breath in her throat as she remembered.

"Yeah," Kate said after swallowing, "that was Jack. Look, Alex."

"Don't tell me that your sorry," Alex interrupted, turning to look at Kate.

That was when Kate got the same feeling that Jack had, as well as Sayid. The feeling telling them that in reality, this girl was far more older than fifteen. Her eyes were worn and exhausted. She had probably been through more in the past few days, Kate thought, then some people went through in a life time. Then again, hadn't they all?

"I don't need pity," Alex told her, "I've had enough of that. I just want to start over- like everyone else got to do. Like you got to do."

"Jack knows," Kate decided to tell her, "he knows about my past."

"And he still trusts you?" Alex said in astonishment.

"Yeah," Kate said, nodding, "he does. Even after I told him- everything- he still trust me. Or at least, I think he does."

"Why don't you just ask him?" Alex asked.

Kate laughed a little.

"I don't work like that," she said, and after a pause, continued, "I just wanted to let you know, that if you ever need anything, someone to talk to, whatever, I'm here for you. We all are. I just hope that somehow, you can forgive me."

Standing up, Kate left Alex with that message, and stood up, heading towards the cave.

"Hey, Kate!" Alex called back to her at the last minute.

"Yeah?" Kate asked, looking back at her.

"I just thought you should know," Alex said, "that I can be a very forgiving person. Just promise me one thing."

"What?" Kate said, her lips curling into a small smile.

"Don't let Jack beat himself up to much," Alex said, smiling a little.

Kate grinned.

"Why?" She asked, curious. "You don't- like him do you? Because I know you have a thing for older guys and-"

"No!" Alex said quickly, embarrassed.

"It's just that," Kate continued, "if Sawyer ends up winning me in the end, Jack will be up for grabs-"

"You're forgetting one thing," Alex said, in more of a good mood than she remembered being in for a while.

"What?"

"I'm younger than you," Alex said, mischievously.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Kate asked, puzzled.

"I'm probably faster than you," Alex smirked.

Kate smiled.

"I got it," she said, "see you around. And I'll keep an I on Jack."

Alex considered telling Kate that she wouldn't be the only one, but let it slide as Kate headed back toward the caves.

(Space)

"I just had a talk with Alex," Kate said as she entered Jack's cave.

He had changed clothes and was now wearing an old gray sleeveless shirt and tattered and torn blue jeans.

"Oh yeah?" Jack said, hiding some medicine under a blanket. "Did you tell her not to stay out past ten and to eat all her vegetables?"

"No," Kate said laughing, "I got her to forgive me."

Jack stopped what he was doing and looked at her.

"For what?" He asked, not sure if he wanted the answer.

Kate looked down before speaking, and decided it would be better if Jack met her eyes as she talked.

"There are some things about my past that you don't know about," Kate said, and corrected, "and still don't know about. But I'm willing to let you trust me.

She stepped forward, only inches away from Jack.

"I want you to trust me," she told him, staring into his eyes as she tried to reach for her hand.

To Kate's surprised, he jerked back.

"Kate, I can't," Jack said quietly, stepping back, "not now."

"Why?" Kate pressured. "Why can't you let yourself live a little? Give yourself the second chance that you know you deserve?"

"I have some things that I have to take care of," Jack said as he threw a shovel over his shoulder, "some things I have to get over, before thinking about anything else. Because I know that I can help the others, until I've helped myself."

Kate smiled at the repetitive quote.

"I thought it was 'save', Kate tested.

"Yeah, well heroes are overrated these days," Jack said, giving Kate a small smile.

"Yeah," Kate agreed, "they have flaws."

Jack and Kate met eyes once more, trying to send each other the same message of understanding and future hope.

"I've got to go," Jack said at last, "if I'm not back by nightfall- don't come looking for me."

"All right," Kate nodded, "but I'll be out there on your trail first thing tomorrow morning."

Jack smiled fully this time.

"I know."

(Space)

"I've got something for you," Charlie said, smiling as he sat down beside Claire.

"What?" Claire asked, returning the grin.

Charlie handed her the piece of paper, and let her read it. Eyes trailing over, Calire scanned what she found to be song lryics:

Claire looked up at Charlie, confused.

"A little foreful, isn't it?" Claire joked.

"That was for another girlfriend," Charlie explained with a smile, and was cut off when Claire leaned forward as best as she could, and kissed him.

After locking lips for a moment in the beautful atmostphere, Charlie broke it off.

"Claire," he began quietly, "you didn't have to."

"I know," Claire said, and leaned forward, giving him another small kiss on the lips, "I wanted to."

Lifting herself up, Claire waddled away, leaving Charlie red and blushing from where he remained frozen at his spot in the caves.

(Space)

Sweat soaked into Jack's damp eyes as he buried his head into his dripping arm. He had been digging for the past three hours, and had finally had his father buried. He had told no one exactly where he was going, but at the sight of Jack carrying a shovel, they all had their suspensions.

Burying his father had been like giving himself an entire new level. He felt completed, like he could really put it behind himself. Jack knew it wouldn't be that easy, but he was willing to do it, or at least try, and he knew that he had help when he needed it.

"Hey, Doc!"

Jack jerked up from where he stood resting against the shovel, hands filthy with dirt and eyes red from tears, face pale. He cursed himself for not hearing Sawyer come sooner.

"I- just wanted to give this to you," Sawyer said, reaching from behind him, pulling out the last thing Jack expected Sawyer to have:

He was holding a wooden crossed, perfectly cut from the jungle's bark.

"I found it in the wreckage and thought I'd give it to your cause," Sawyer said, "I have no use for it myself and.."

Sawyer trailed off of his lie. Jack could see right through him, and for the first time, saw the most human in Sawyer he had ever seen. He was actually tempting an apology, and maybe even asking for trust. Or had Sawyer just driven himself mad in self-guilt?

"I guess I'll just let you get back to.." Sawyer didn't finish as his voice broke off, and he turned toward the ground before slowly walking away.

Jack watched him go, and had almost let Sawyer get away before-

"Hey, Sawyer!" Jack yelled after him.

Sawyer turned, caught off guard.

"Thanks," Jack said sincerely, holding up the cross, "I appreciate it."

"Yeah?" Sawyer said, his dimples showing as he cocked a grin. "Well don't expect more where that came from."

"I wasn't asking," Jack said as Sawyer walked away, "oh! And Sawyer?"

Sawyer turned again, slightly impatient this time, but he dealt with it. For the first time, Sawyer found himself feeling sorry for Jack. It wasn't even his fault that he was on this island. It was his father's. And where was he now? Dead. Great twist of fate that was.

"You wouldn't of happened to found him near a stream would you?" Jack asked, fighting to hold himself together. "Just a few miles east of here, with some luggage?"

"How'd you know?" Sawyer said suspiciously.

"Lucky guess," Jack said, and let Sawyer go again.

He had begun plotting the last of the dirt back into the crave, and was about to lay the shovel down when Sawyer caught him again.

"Oh, and Jack?" Sawyer said, getting his attention.

Jack looked up.

"You gonna finish that eulogy of yours?"

The eulogy. Of course. Jack had completely forgotten about it, though he knew he had still placed it in the back pocket of his jeans along with a pen he had found.

"Some things are better left unfinished," Jack replied, and left Sawyer with it as Sawyer finally turned, and left.

Sighing, Jack sat the shovel on the ground and rested his back against a tree, closing his eyes in relief. He sat there for a minute, letting his thoughts and minutes take over him before reaching back into his pocket and taking out the yellowing sheet of paper, and stared at it, taping the pen against it as he tried to think of what to say next.

He hadn't been sure of what to think of this island experience, what kind of message someone was trying to send him, but he knew that fate had at least a few answers. Kate, for example, who was willing to be there for him whenever he was about to go over the edge, no matter how often it happened, and he had a feeling that it would be happening a lot in the future. Jack knew he'd just have to get over it, let the grief take him and he'd have to force himself to fight back. He wasn't going to give up, like Boone, but accept the help that was offered. He'd just have to stop being brave. With that, he realized what Kate had said- some heroes did have flaws.

Jack bit on the pen a little longer, before finally bringing it to the page, clicking it on, letting the black ink touch the paper where four single words lay written-

_My father, Christian Sheppard.._

and ran his pen across the letters, correcting it..

_My dad, Christian Sheppard.._

Author's Note: What an ending, huh? Well I'm beat. Thanks for all the reviews and hope you all come back! And ANY ideas and suggestion for Boone/Sayid's jungle trek next fic, which should be up soon! Sorry that I get repetitive in my writing, I'm trying to fix that! Thanks again, and hope you liked it!

Summary for next fic: The Impossible:

Tension rises as Sayid and Boone search for the missing Shannon, something that Boone blames on Sayid, and Kate worries for Sawyer, who's been getting abnormal headaches.

Thanks again and again!

October Sky


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